BABAMNA is an emerging community platform with the mission to foster collaboration between Bassa Bati Mpoo associations. It has the potential to be a game changer and to give us a new playbook to realize our vision of a more unified and thriving Bassa Bati Mpoo diaspora in North America
We have the same main aspirations as other immigrant communities
The main aspirations of the Bassa Bati Mpoo diaspora in North America are the same as those of other immigrant communities. We want to: (a) thrive financially, professionally and socially in our new home; (b) be able to support adequately our families and communities in Cameroon and contribute to its development; (c) be an influential voice on matters of interests to our community.
We still have a long way to go compared to other communities to fulfil these aspirations in a meaningful way
To fulfil these aspirations in a meaningful way, individual actions and successes while important are not enough. We still have a long way to go when compared to some communities from countries such as Eritrea, Ethiopia, India, The Philippine, Nigeria or Ghana. These communities have been able to build robust networks, organizations and support space at the local and national levels to foster solidarity links, enhance the sense of a common identity, facilitate the collaboration, speed up the integration of their members in their new home and to advocate for the interests of their community at the local, state and federal levels.
BABAMNA has the potential to help us fill that gap
Based on various anecdotal evidences, the Bassa Bati Mpoo community in North America (USA & Canada) is more than 15000 strong. This is enough to be a credible force to count with, if we act in a more unified and purposeful way. We have a lot of associations at the local level doing a lot of good. They are usually led by passionate and dedicated individuals. They know well the needs of their local communities. We also have a few organizations operating at the national level especially in the area of death benefits. The ubiquity of social networks has allowed the creation of a lot of Facebook and WhatsApp forums. All this fulfills an important role and helps to build brotherhood. We witness the power of these networks daily. However, to be able to fulfil our aspiration to be a thriving diaspora that counts, we need to scale up and scale out these actions in a more purposeful way. That is where BABAMNA (Bassa Bati Mpoo North America) comes into play. BABAMNA was created specifically to build a platform that facilitates the collaboration between Bassa Bati Mpoo organizations, help to coordinate and amplify their actions, to foster a more unified and thriving community. It has the potential to help us fill the gap that separates us in this area from the more successful communities.
BABAMNA is at a crossroad. It understands that choosing the beaten paths will make it irrelevant
BABAMNA is still a very young organization. It was created 3 years ago. It has accomplished tremendous progress in 3 years. It just held a very successful convention in Montreal. It is now well known in our community; more and more associations and individuals are joining its platform; and there is a real momentum around its vision of achieving a more unified and thriving community through collaboration. This puts BABAMNA at a crossroad. It could have opted for the easy choice which is to follow the beaten paths: Galas, a lot of talks, endless meetings and discussions, no clear purpose or roadmap, lack of discipline and perseverance, inward focus and the pretention to be the leader of Bassa Bati Mpoo organizations in North America by decree or just because its name sounds so. But, it understands that if history is of any guide, this will quickly lead to its irrelevance and “death”.
BABAMNA has chosen to plot new paths, to write a new playbook that will make it both ambidextrous and ambivert
To be relevant at the national level and ensure long term success, BABAMNA understands that it must write a new playbook that borrows from the most successful community organizations in North America, integrate operational efficiency expected from the best organizations in North America including leveraging technologies and that takes into account the specificities of our community. In summary BABAMNA must set itself up to be both ambidextrous and ambivert. Like an Ambidextrous, BABAMNA must be able to use its left hand and its right hand equally well. Like an ambivert BABAMNA must draw its energy both inward and outward and must be able to find the right balance to optimally serve constituencies, meet requirements and fulfil expectations which on the surface may seem irreconcilable.
This new playbook will include the following key elements.
1. BABAMNA is at the service of Bassa Bati Mpoo associations in North America. Joining its platform is a privilege afforded by these associations.
BABAMNA will set clear rules of engagement with Bassa Bati Mpoo associations in North America to alleviate fears and prevent misunderstandings. BABAMNA is at the service of these associations and considers a privilege to be able to have them on its platform. BABAMNA will serve them with humility and recognizes that they are the ones defining its success. BABAMNA simply provides the tools, the space and network that allow the associations to collaborate and amplify their actions. They are still in charge of their destiny. BABAMNA just gives them the levers to accomplish more. BABAMNA will also cooperate with Bassa Bati Mpoo associations which are not part of its platform.
2. BABAMNA will establish key partnerships outside the Bassa Bati Mpoo community.
BABAMNA aspires to be a key partner to Cameroonian, African and other immigrant organizations. It will also engage the African-American community, US and Canadian corporations and foundations and the North American public in general.
3. BABAMNA will engage the best and brightest of our community
Our community has a lot of accomplished individuals. They lead or have led big or key organizations; they have created small and big businesses; They are subject matter experts, opinion leaders or community organizers. They have the experience, the skills, the know-how and networks that BABAMNA needs to be able to play in the premier league. They usually do not have a lot of time. But, they are willing to help the community if the conditions are right. That is why BABAMNA is committed to putting in place mechanisms that allow it to engage these individuals in a way that is meaningful to them and to the community at large. That will include setting up advisory boards, organizing periodic round tables and other forums that allow to tap into their wisdom and networks and translate that into impactful actions.
4. BABAMNA will promote and nurture a culture of transformation, accountability, efficacity and efficiency
BABAMNA is a non for profit organization staffed with volunteers who have important stuffs to take care of in their life. That does not dispense from promoting a culture of transformation, accountability, efficacity and efficiency. It makes it imperative. Most of our community organizations aspiring to national relevance have failed because they have operated in a shoot & forget mode. When they bother doing so, they announce lofty goals. But, they quickly forget about them and return to working on the fly taking whatever comes their way with no clear distinction between what is important and what is not. BABAMNA understands that to avoid the same fate, it must embrace and nurture a culture where it sets clear key goals , define strategies to achieve these goals within a certain time frame and a dashboard with key metrics allowing to track its performances and to take remedial actions where necessary. This dashboard will allow to track some of the following metrics: Number of new associations and individuals joining the platform; number of associations which are actively participating; percentage of associations satisfied with BABAMNA services; which tools they actually use; number of collaborative projects facilitated by BABAMNA, number of external partners or key constituencies engaged in a giving period of time and many more.
5. BABAMNA will articulate its vision and mission in a way that is forceful and energizing to overcome the fear of changes and the power of the status-quo
As human beings most of the times we resist changes because we are afraid of the unknown and we cling to the comfort of the status-quo. We accept changes only when we are able to visualize the benefits it will bring about. That is why the most effective way to overcome the fear of changes is to be able to articulate a powerful vision. BABAMNA envisions a Bassa Bati Mpoo diaspora in North America that is more collaborative, unified and thriving. This is a simple and powerful vision. BABAMNA wants to build momentum around this vision through repeated incremental successes with each one validating the promises and benefits of the vision and the capacity to deliver them sustainably in the long run. For instance the recent Montreal convention is one of these incremental successes. So will be any project accomplished with the support of the BABAMNA platform, any event allowing to highlight the good work of associations or to celebrate the unsung heroes within our community, any round table allowing to have substantive discussions or educate on subjects of importance for the community, any tool or space that actually empowers associations and individuals to do more, any private project or initiative made possible by the BABAMNA network. BABAMNA will deliver such incremental successes regularly and will celebrate them within the community and beyond.
It will take hard work and perseverance for BABAMNA to deliver on its long term promises. We must all be committed to making it happen
BABAMNA understands that it will take a lot of hard work and perseverance to deliver on its long term promises. That is why it is crucial that each one of us be fully committed to helping achieve that goal. Let’s write a new playbook. Let’s change the game for a better outcome.
Together for a better tomorrow!
