A framework for worldwide information, communication, and collaboration on African affairs.

Crystal, AV country director for Romania, has been working tirelessly on improving the conditions that some African students are going through in Bucharest.

We have a case of Stanley Nikambi, who is a student from Cameroon in Romania. According to Crystal, Romania has a regimented immigration law that requires students to update their immigration document per year. I remember that this was the case in Austria as well. So it is not something out of the ordinary. Nonetheless, some/many students from Africa in Romania are not fully informed about these measures and other requirement. So they fail to make this required update on time, or even when they are behind on their school fees, the Romania police comes after them. The effect of such stringent measures on young students can leave a scar on ones soul.

Here is an excerpt from Stanley's email to AV: " I can no longer go to school, I was to be deported that I have attend school for this months for free , that they have not seen my school fees sir, I am confuse, because I have in school for almost 5months but is only now that they are not saying my school fees it is something that I cant explain sir it is more then me here we try to follow it but there was just no way out because they did not give me time is... As I am talking to you now I am in the ASYLUM CAMP just because I don't want to go back, sir I am not coming from a worthy family"...

Stanley's reaction to his experience is a psychological phenomenon that has polarized the types of human products in African societies, or even perhaps in human societies. It is arguable that Stanley's short coming with the Romanian law is not out of disregard, negligence, or incompetence. People in Romania speak Romanian, Stanley's challenge is most likely of linguistic nature. He speaks his mother tongue and French, he has tried hard to communicate with me in English and how much expectation is due a young man, if he has had to learn Romania within 6 months. Oh well, who cares? We do!

We think that we have come to a new era, where no child of man shall surfer unnecessarily ever again anywhere in the world. Crystal and I discussed and brainstormed this issue at length and we came up with few suggestions that we like to share with you. We ask for your support in crytalizing these ideas as statutes or guiding principles for students coming abroad from Africa and as part of our ACE program. We plan to approach the problem in two parts. First is resolution to immediate challenge and second, prevention for these kinds of problems in the future.

As part of resolution, we will attempt to plead for leniency for the student in custody or refugee camps due to immigration inadequacies. We will approach the AU and persuade them to write a letter to the Romanian mission. We will also consult African consulates in Bucharest to support our plea.

Secondly, regarding our prevention approach, we will create an orientation seminar for new African students. That is, encourage new African students to be aware of Romania laws, mores, cultures, paradigm, the do’s and don'ts and how to find relevant info on AV. This is something we that we may have to develop for other nations as well. So our focus is to create such a framework. 

Crystal has met with African ambassadors in Bucharest. She is now in Nigeria and is flying to Abuja, the capital state, to meet with Romanian emissaries in Nigeria next week. Crystal is a medical student in Romania, she is not in Bucharest, and has had to travel 11 hours to get there to mobilize the students and have meetings with the embassies. It is my pleasure to introduce her as a core member of African Views Organization.

I want to go on record as endorsing Crystal Chisom Dolu to represent African Views affairs in regards to all issues concerning Romania. Please help congratulate her leadership in helping to improve cultural relationship between Africans and Romanians, creating AV student chapters and being a superb Country director. Please keep a prayer in your heart for this agenda. Our work is important.

May God bless you, May God bless AV!