Cameroon Peers: Students from a government school in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district shared songs, dances, and stories with peers thousands of miles away in Cameroon during a lively virtual cultural exchange held last week.
Approximately 30 students in grades 7 through 10 gathered in their school’s computer lab on a cool November morning to video conference with 25 classmates from a school in Yaoundé, Cameroon’s capital. The two-hour session, organized through an international education network, gave the children their first chance to interact with youngsters from another continent.
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The Kangra students introduced traditional Himachali folk dances and described local festivals such as Lohri. In return, the Cameroonian children performed rhythms of makossa music and shared stories from the country’s diverse ethnic traditions. The groups also paired up for a joint drawing activity, creating hybrid animals that mixed Himalayan snow leopards with African tropical birds.
“It was like making new friends from a completely different world,” said Priya Sharma, a 14-year-old participant from Kangra. “We laughed so much even when the internet froze for a minute.”
Teachers on both sides called the event a step toward building global understanding among the next generation. Rajesh Kumar, the program coordinator at the Kangra school, said the exchange helped students see beyond borders. His counterpart in Yaoundé, Marie Ngoh, added that such connections counteract division and remind children of their shared humanity.
The session ended with students exchanging digital postcards and promises to stay in touch through email. Many expressed excitement about future collaborations, including swapping recipes that combine Himachali apples with Cameroonian plantains.
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Virtual exchanges like this one have become increasingly popular in Indian schools since the pandemic, offering students in remote areas a window to the wider world without the need for travel. Educators in Kangra say they plan to organize similar events with schools in other countries in the coming months.