Our Team
Missions Arise Foundation (MAF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving people's livelihoods through community-led and owned initiatives. We collaborate with local parishes to implement projects in education, healthcare, and agriculture, ministry and life of priests. Our team is made up of passionate individuals who share our vision. We work tirelessly to make a positive impact in communities and promote sustainable development. Learn more about our team and our work by exploring our website.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Albert Domm, MD
President
Albert C. Domm is an anatomic and clinical pathologist affiliated with Maury Regional Medical Center in Columbia, Tennessee. He received his medical degree from the University of South Alabama College of Medicine and did his residency at EMORY University. Albert has over 45 years of experience in the medical field. He has visited Cameroon several times for work at Bingo Baptist Hospital. He has also been passionate about humanitarian work, which is unmatched. He is the pioneer president of the Missions Arise Foundation.
Irene Alobwede, PhD
Vice-President
Irene Ntube Alobwede, Ph.D., is a highly motivated and result-driven professional with over ten
years of experience in clinical and scientific roles in development institutes and within the
health and pharmaceutical industries, respectively. She is devoted to empowering women and
young girls, as expressed through FERAC (Fostering Education in Rural Areas in Cameroon), her
personal initiative through which they pay full tuition for 50 young learners in Bangem,
Cameroon. She has benefitted from the Commonwealth scholarship and understands the
importance of formal education and good health in building communities.
Peter Nsenkeng, MSc.
Treasurer
Peter Nsenkeng, MSc., for over a decade, has garnered a wealth of experience serving within various arms of the United Nations in diverse capacities and on different continents. Cutting
across FAO, where he served as Operations Officer, then the role of Project Development and Donor Relations Officer, to Head of Mission\Project Manager for Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue to his current office as Political Affairs officer. All these roles have exposed him to the realities of human societies as they strived to evolve as individuals and about one another in their various communities.
Jerry Kitchens, MD
Jerry Kitchens, MD graduated from the University of Alabama School of Medicine in 1987. In
addition to his current role as Executive Director of Physician Alliance, he served as President
and later Manager Partner at Jerry L. Kitchen Jr., M.D. PC and Ron and Jerry, LLC, respectively.
His interactions with priests from the diocese of Kumba in Cameroon heightened his love for the
African church.
Delbert Hahn, MD
Delbert Hahn, MD, is a diagnostic radiology specialist in Birmingham, AL, and has more than 54
years of experience in the medical field. He was instrumental in founding Her Choice,
Birmingham Women’s Center, a non-profit that provides emotional and physical support to
women before, during, and after their pregnancy. He is unapologetically pro-life.
Advisory Board
Marc Corsini
Eningan Epie, PharmD
Marc Corsini, originally from Macon, GA, is a cradle Catholic and now lives in Birmingham, AL with Susan, his wife. They have 3 adult children who all attended Catholic grammar and high school before going to Auburn Uni. He is a member of Our Lady of Sorrows and the Knights of Columbus Council 4304 at OLS. Marc founded Corsini Consulting Group, LLC in 1992 and has been an executive coach for over 30 years.
Eningan Loveta Epie, PharmD is a dynamic and outcomes-driven clinical pharmacist program
administrator and educator with 15 years of experience in patient-centered care. She is skilled
at developing programs that improve drug utilization and patient outcomes. In addition to her work, she is interested in children, formal education, healthcare, and the environment.
Kent Graeve
Kent Graeve is a graduate of Creighton University, after which his initial interest in business and finance landed him at the Bank of America, the largest non-governmental financial institution in the world, until 1981 when he resigned and began a long career in real estate development. He worked in three cities in Alabama and eventually became president of Arlington Properties in Birmingham Alabama. He served on the boards of three hospitals, a catholic high school, a county-wide economic development organization, and the Salvation Army. Kent profoundly cherishes his catholic faith, and he feels enriched by the presence of Cameroonian priests in his home parish in Birmingham.
Tofig Gana Fomban, PhD
Dr. Nuvala Fomban has a Ph.D. in Global Leadership and Management from the Indiana University of Technology, a Ph.D. and M.S. in Bioengineering from the University of Washington, and an M.S. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of South Florida.
He has experience in the cultural dynamics of the Bali-Chamba people( of Cameroon ), their
needs and expectations, and their aspirations to work on leaving the world a better place for
the Nyonga people.
Coordinator
Wilfred Emeh, PhD
Rev. Wilfred Epie Emeh is a priest of the Diocese of Kumba in Cameroon. His passion for humanitarian works and social justice is innate, and his early pastoral ministry among the less privileged in remote mission churches after his ordination in April 2004 strengthened his resolve.
He holds a doctorate in Public Administration from the West Chester University of Pennsylvania, concentrating on governance and armed conflict resolution. He is currently a chaplain at Temple University in Philadelphia.
Our Story
Get to Know Us
Pastoral visits are an essential part of the ministry of Bishops, during which time the Chief
Shepherd has the opportunity to listen to the concerns of his flock. When Bishop Agapitus Nfon
of the Diocese of Kumba set out for his pastoral visit from April 27 through May 8, 2023, to the
villages and communities of Ndian and Meme divisions within his diocese, little did he know
that he would be overwhelmed by the plights of the communities. Understandably, for people
who perceive their fate had been sealed because of their geographical location, the Bishop's
presence was a welcome opportunity to lay their problems entirely on his feet.
After the pastoral visit, Bishop Agapitus would share his rural experiences with some of his
priests on loan in the United States. Among other things, he noted with sadness the absence of a
single healthcare facility in several communities. After much reflection, discussion, and
consultation with friends, the Kumba diocesan priests thought that setting up a Foundation as one
way to address some of the dire needs of the people would be a good idea. They eventually
adopted the name Missions Arise Foundation in anticipation of a hopeful future for the
struggling communities all over the three divisions within the diocese of Kumba.
About
Background and Context
The Diocese of Kumba in Cameroon comprises mainly rural settlements within the Ndian,
Meme, and some localities of Kupe Muanenguba divisions in the southwest region of Cameroon, West Africa. Created on March 15, 2016, the Diocese has a Catholic population of more than 265,000. Bishop Agapitus Nfon is the current and pioneer residential Bishop. Shortly after its creation, the Anglophone conflict that morphed into a full-fledged battle broke out. The diocese was severely affected because of the vast hinterland settlements. Over 6,000 people have been killed in the entire Northwest and Southwest regions. Even though peace has not returned entirely, the church is not relenting in its evangelization efforts.
Many of the Diocese’s priests are assigned to serve in rural communities that largely depend on subsistence farming and live on less than a dollar per day. Most of the people in the remote parishes are young and jobless. Although some parents attach more value to higher education, access to education is challenging, and the few children attending school tend to stay only until the fifth grade, especially as there is a lack of means to enroll students in secondary schools. The civil war in the region has only exacerbated the situation. According to the United Nations Office of Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), only 46 percent of schools are functioning, and only 54 percent of students were enrolled for the 2022–2023 academic year in the northwest (NW) and southwest (SW) regions of Cameroon.
The ongoing conflict has also worsened the socio-economic situation in most parts of the
Diocese. Some villages have been deserted, and school buildings and presbyteries that have been destroyed have yet to be reconstructed. Even in such precarious situations, the priests and people still focus on survival. However, they also struggle with a shortage of essential services, including a lack of clean water, inadequate healthcare facilities, food scarcity, and electricity.
The government has abandoned these remote communities, and the church stands as the lone beacon of hope for those living in these areas. The people look to the priests for spiritual
nourishment and social and economic assistance. Therefore, integral human development (IHD) is needed as grounded in Catholic social teaching. As enunciated by Pope Paul VI, this teaching focuses on the holistic development of the human person, covering all aspects of life: social, economic, political, cultural, and spiritual. It promotes the dignity of the human person, highlighting equality among all individuals and the common good of all community members.
The priests, catechists, and religious individuals treading this path not only heed Christ’s calling to go into the world and proclaim the Good News to all creation but are also attuned to Pope Francis’ call to be shepherds living among the sheep. Many priests in rural areas are expected to minister to four or five small villages. There are 233 mission stations and 25 parishes. In addition to standing tall without decent housing, the priests undertake missionary journeys on motorbikes, boats, and sometimes on foot to reach the hinterlands within their pastoral territory. Despite the present challenges, the future is bright when one considers the dedication of the youthful population and the many natural resources that could be transformed to improve the standard of living and boost missionary endeavors.
Missions Arise Foundation (MAF) is a rural-focused nonprofit organization promoting integral
human development in the Diocese of Kumba in Cameroon in the equatorial region of West
Africa. MAF’s overall objective is to improve the well-being of the people. It is a registered
501c3 entity in the State of Pennsylvania. The assumption is that increasing the most marginalized people’s access to economic opportunities, educational services, and livelihood
opportunities will improve whole communities’ spiritual and material well-being. By participating in community affairs, marginalized people can build confidence in their ability to
change their lives.
Fr. Wilfred Epie Emeh
1
Our Mission
Missions Arise Foundation engages remote villages in the Southwest region of Cameroon to harness human and natural resources to improve the people’s livelihoods through community-led and owned initiatives in education, agriculture, healthcare, and the life and ministry of priests.
2
Vision
Our vision is to ensure that mission stations and disadvantaged parishes in the Diocese of Kumba become thriving locations that can fully and meaningfully participate in the work of evangelization.
We aim to accomplish our goal by working with local clergy, project managers, and local and
international partners.
3
Specific Objectives
●Provide meaningful opportunities for communities to improve living standards through healthcare and sustainable development programs in farming, animal husbandry, and small-scale business.
●Sponsor educational and talent development projects on integral human development.
●Improve priests’ living conditions by meeting the needs for evangelization, such as
means of transport.
About
PARTNERSHIP
At Missions Arise Foundation, we believe that partnership is key to achieving our goals. By working closely with the Diocese of Kumba, we are able to leverage our strengths and resources to make a positive difference in people's lives. We invite you to learn more about the Diocese of Kumba and our partnership by visiting their website at www.dioceseofkumba.org. Together, we are making a lasting impact on communities in need.
