The soldiers of Task Force Darby are deployed to “Contingency Location Garoua” alongside the Cameroonian Air Force’s Airbase 301. The city of Garoua is the political and industrial capital of the country’s Nord Region and was once a popular hub for tourists taking trips to nearby national parks. However, economic activity has slowed and the tourism has ended as more than 50,000 people have been killed by Boko Haram and their campaign of terror since 2009, leaving millions displaced across four countries.

The US Army soldiers at CL Garoua are supporting the fight against Boko Haram by operating unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that gather intelligence and conduct surveillance and reconnaissance missions. This information informs decisions by US military and diplomatic leaders and is also shared with regional African military partners for action.

In addition to the UAVs, infantrymen, logisticians, mechanics, and other support staff, CL Garoua is home to a US Army Civil Affairs team. This team is working to ensure the safety of the US forces through good relations with surrounding communities while also addressing local vulnerabilities to build resiliency and prevent the Boko Haram from recruiting and drawing support from the local population. Learn more here:

Local schools are stretched thin and underresourced, running classes in shifts to maximize time and space. These students attend class in a makeshift straw classroom while sitting on the dirt floor.

The team and local leaders have identified improved education as the best way to insulate children from the influence of Boko Haram and to ensure a peaceful and prosperous future. Unfortunately, resources are scarce and local schools and libraries lack the basics: books and desks. This is where Spirit of America can help, addressing these needs so that students have a place to learn and books to read. Working through our US military and local Cameroonian government partners on the ground, and with another US non-profit Books for Africa and a local carpentry apprenticeship program, we will provide thousands of books and hundreds of desks to local schools.

Cameroon is in a “book famine,” where local publishers are rare, schools have barely enough books to function (Garoua District 2 Primary School, left), and library shelves are often bare (Garoua Municipal Library, right).

Your generosity can help us address these critical needs and support the soldiers of TF Darby working to defeat Boko Haram and violent extremism in West Africa.