Agro-industrial giant SOCAPALM, in partnership with the Cercle des Amis du Lycée Bilingue de Mbongo(CALM), awarded school kits and scholarships to outstanding students in the Dizangué subdivision of the Sanaga Maritime Division of the Littoral region on Saturday, September 12, 2026 during an ceremony. Being it’s second edition, the annual Academic Excellence Program recognised nearly 250 primary and secondary school pupils and students under the theme:”Dare to pursue excellence, to change my destiny.” The initiative reached 23 primary schools and 5 secondary institutions (comprising three general high schools, one technical high school, and one CETIC vocational center).
However,Primary Level (217 Recipients across 23 bilingual schools): Students received complete textbook sets for Mathematics and French, workbooks, 12 notebooks (143–300 pages), a pack of 25 red and blue pens, and a box of 12 pencils, Students received 12 excicise books two practical lab notebooks (200 pages), geometry/academic kits, calculators, pens, pencils, and large-format notebooks for Anglophone students and a cash prize of 25,000 FCFA was granted to 57 top-performing secondary students.
Speaking on behalf of CALM, Guy Patrick Abodioh commended the Mayor of Dizangué for his vision and urged the youth to take control of their educational journey. “A child’s future need not be a matter of fate. Hardships, the circumstances of one’s birth, or environmental limitations do not have to determine what each person will become in the future. But to transform one’s future, one must first dare,” Abodioh stated.
Jean Baptiste Mbonki, Divisional Officer of Dizangué, praised the partnership between SOCAPALM, CALM, and local authorities, calling on students to treat the awards as a stepping stone. “Daring to pursue excellence means having the courage to set high goals and working with discipline to achieve them. You are our country’s future executives, entrepreneurs, teachers, doctors, and leaders,” Mbonki told the recipients, while encouraging non-winning students to persevere for the next edition. Expressing relief on behalf of rural families, beneficiary student Boumeck François noted that the supplies would significantly ease the financial burden of the new school year, particularly for pupils from outlying villages like Pitty Dibamba. CALM organisers concluded the ceremony by committing to expand the event’s reach in future editions as part of their long-term contribution to national development.
Nevertheless,as a major partner of the awards, SOCAPALM reaffirmed its ongoing commitment to the communities surrounding its plantation sites. Company representatives emphasised that their dedication to education extends well beyond seasonal distributions, forming part of a broader corporate social responsibility strategy aimed at improving learning conditions, supporting families, and fostering youth employability.
Consolidated data from 2023 highlights the scope of SOCAPALM’s reach across neighboring communities:Assisted 71 local schools (21 preschools, 42 primary schools, and 8 secondary schools) serving 11,555 students through infrastructure construction, school transport, and educational supplies.Directly supported the remuneration of 108 out of the 560 teachers recorded across these institutions in 2023. Partnered with APPA in Kienké to transform the former Ecole Familiale Agricole into the Collège Technique et Professionnel Agricole Bilingue (COTPAB). Under the Ministry of Secondary Education, COTPAB expanded from 10 students in 2021 to 98 in 2024, achieving a 100% pass rate for the Agricultural CAP in 2024.
SOCAPALM representatives noted that while education remains a core responsibility of the State, the company’s initiatives aim to complement public efforts through active dialogue with local communities. “Our ambition is simple: to ensure that our presence in local communities helps prepare for their future by investing in the youth who will build it tomorrow.”
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