During the period May 19-31, 1997, three Bank staff, Connie Luff, Philippe Callier, and Mark Blackden, took part in a village immersion program. They stayed for two weeks in the village of Mandaka, Far North Province of Cameroon, about 80 km to the west of the Provincial capital of Maroua. The program was launched at the initiative of Nicholas Bennett, Senior Education planner at the Bank's resident mission in Yaounde. It was prepared and organized by Cooperative for American Relief Everywhere (CARE) Cameroon, an international non-governmental organization (NGO) with more than 18 years experience in the country, and which has undertaken many projects in the far north province.