OUR MISSION
Our mission is to build the future leaders of Cameroon, Africa, and beyond!
We believe in the power of education to transform young dreamers and ultimately the community.
We know that everyone has the skills and ability to succeed, but oftentimes lacks the opportunity to achieve their highest ambitions.
We know that through education, each child can build the foundation to achieve higher goals, creating a beneficial domino effect within their community.
We mentor students to develop college/university readiness skills to tap into international educational opportunities and enjoy the benefits of global citizenship.
A certified 501c3 non-profit (CBO), we are a proud member of the HALI Access Network (www.haliaccess.org).
OUR WORK
We work with high-achieving low-income students in Cameroon to help them achieve their dreams! Our scholars complete a highly selective application process which entails not only essays and excellent GCE/University grades but also a demonstration of entrepreneurial skills needed for leadership development. Our scholars are immersed in a gap-year program through a rigorous two month Summer Academy, year round mentorship, and educational training in math, writing, leadership, community service, and more! Our scholars exhibit self-motivation, leadership, resilience, teamwork, commitment to excellence, and a passion for community engagement.
With centers in Bamenda, Yaounde, and support across the country, Open Dreams creates an enabling environment for creativity, research and impact, with plenty of learning opportunities from experts in different fields as they tackle community challenges. We mentor our scholars to help them find scholarships to learning universities both locally and all over the world! Read more in our 2022 Annual Review!
OUR START
Not long ago, our co-founder Blaise Buma, was one of many kids in his hometown in Cameroon struggling to make ends meet. As bright he was, he didn't know which path to take to turn his dreams into reality. Thankfully he met Morgan, a bright young woman from the US who saw something in him that he hadn't yet recognized in himself - his full potential.
Blaise knew that he aspired to study in the US, but he wasn't sure how to make his dream a reality. Two years after their encounter Blaise had earned a full scholarship to Washington & Lee College in Virginia. He then went on to study at the London School of Economics in England, to become a Schwarzman Scholar in China, to attend the Harvard Business School. He is now launching his own finance startup - Kappa Pay - to make payments easier in Cameroon and across Africa. That little extra push from a person that cared is what got him here today. Now it is his turn to give back.
And we are here to support him. Through the example of Blaise we see first hand the immense power of education to change lives. And that is what we aim to do every single day. With 200+ scholars studying and learning at some of the best universities locally and abroad, we know that we are slowly building the next generation of leaders of Cameroon and across Africa!