Facts and Figures

SIL Cameroon Statistics:

SIL International Statistics:

Introduction - From Biafra civil war to Cameroon

In mid 1967, civil war erupted in Nigeria. Three SIL teams were working in languages in South East Nigeria, which were also spoken in Cameroon. They had to leave as they were in the war zone. John Bendor-Samuel who since 1960 has investigated the linguistic needs in Africa starting in Ghana, was in Cameroon a year earlier to attend the West African Languages Congress in 1966. He came again in October, this time to seek permission for these teams to continue their work from Cameroon but also in Cameroon. The three languages were: Ejagham, Mambila and Yamba. He was able to have then the first agreement with the Federal University of Cameroon. Just after that agreement, new teams were assigned to Cameroon to do linguistic work in specific languages. These included: Lamnso’ in Kumbo, Dowayo in Poli and Fali in Pitoa.

Milestones of the past

The life expectancy in Cameroon is not that long. We can humbly say that most people who have lived for 40 years have spent more than half of their life time. It is expected that the account such a person will give of his past years would be full of important events that have marked his history. In 40 years in Cameroon, some milestones have marked the history of SIL:

1969
On February 6, the first agreement was signed between John Bendor-Samuel representing SIL and the Federal University of Cameroon. This agreement marked the official beginning of linguistics and language development work by SIL.

1974
SIL work has started in up to 14 different languages.

1975
SIL became more recognized in Cameroon. A new ONAREST (Office National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technique) for linguistic research in Cameroon. That later became DEGERST (Délégation Générale à la Recherche Scientifique et Technique) and even later, MINREST.

1976
In July and August the first Writers’ Workshop (with 10 languages involved) and the first Primer Workshop (5 languages) were held at Nkol Nda

1978
SIL is recognized as a Cameroonian association by the Ministry of Territorial Administration.

1978
The land to build the Cameroon Training Centre is purchased.

1980
The first Discover Your Language training is given to Cameroonians mindful of developing their own mother tongue.

1987
SIL and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research signed the Scientific Convention.

1989
By the end of the eighties, SIL played a very important role in the creation of two national organizations; NACALCO to help local initiatives for language development and CABTAL to help churches with Bible translation.

1991
The Rain Forest International School is opened providing an accredited high school level of education to the children of SIL members.

1993
On December 3, MINREST and SIL signed the Technical and Scientific Research Convention.

2002
In April 2002 the Ministry of External Relations and SIL signed a head quarters’ agreement.

SIL Cameroon Directors & Administrators

1967-1974 John Bendor-Samuel
1972-1972 Ron Thwing (administrator)
1973-1974 Ron Gluck (administrator)
1975-1979 David Maranz
1979-1981 Karl Grebe
1981-1986 Clinton Robinson
1987-1989 Ed Ubels
1990-1994 Bob Creson
1994-1998 Bob Chapman
1998-2000 Paul Haken
2000-2008 George Shultz
2008-2009 Nelis van den Berg