Adig Marcel Mbanyam is a Cameroonian student in Germany, notably at Universität Duisburg-Essen. He is the winner of the raffle organized by Challenge Camerounais in association with Afriland First Bank last year. He presently undergoes an internship course with Afriland First Bank. He gives a testimony in connection with his stay in Cameroon and his internship with Afriland First Bank.

How did you find Yourself with Afriland First Bank?

Thanks to the cooperation between Challenge Camerounais and Afriland First Bank, I find myself today as an Intern at the Afriland First Bank. I did not believe before. I just filled the sheet I found in the Challenge Camerounais website ( http://www.ccmunich2008.de ). I was surprised when I received a mail from the Challenge and later on, a call from Afriland First Bank informing that I was the winner. I am really enjoying my stay here, professional wise. I also have the opportunity to meet my family, relatives and friends.   

 How long have you been with Afriland First Bank?

I have been on internship at Afriland First Bank since the 7th of April 2009, for a three months internship course at the Information Systems Department.

Describe your Day of work at Afriland First Bank

My working day starts as early as 6:30 am when I am already on my way to work since the latest time to be present at work is 7:15 am. Working in the Information System Department, specifically at the Network Administration Section entails among other duties, ensuring smooth functioning, monitoring, security installation and administration of the Afriland First Bank Network and Banking applications especially interconnectivity between the various branches of Afriland First Bank, instant troubleshooting and working on a project of Ameliorating the existing network and transactions between various Afriland First Bank branches, its various products and applications. This takes me daily late into the evening when I leave the bank at 21 hrs or later depending on the workload. There is a two hour break at Midday. It is important to note that there are 17 branches nationwide, including affiliates in Equatorial Guinea, Sao-Tome and Principe, DR of Congo.

Have your Studies and Experience in Germany been of Help to you?

This internship to me is timely and a blend between my studies as a systems engineer and putting into practice the experience both social and academic which I have been able to gather with my stay in Germany.

What lessons can you withdraw from your Internship with Afriland First Bank?

Words I must say are insufficient to describe what I have been able to gather during the course of this internship. This has served as a stepping stone or better still a bridge to experiencing professional and working life in Cameroon. Afriland First Bank is a pacesetter where I have learnt to be assiduous, emulate teamwork, devotion and commitment from colleagues as well as the joy and fun involved in working in Cameroon. My experience with the Bank has given me a different view to working in ones fatherland and contributing to the nation’s growth through the experience one has gained over the years abroad. Afriland First Bank is a glaring example that success can be achieved in Cameroon and the African context through commitment and hard work especially inline with Afriland First Banks policy of promoting the emergence of a new breed of african entrepreneurs and creating business gateways between the formal and informal sectors of the economy. I doff my hat to the management.

If you were given another opportunity, will you accept it?

Yes, I will readily and joyfully accept any opportunity to work with such a great institution.

What are your next prospects?

Being at the end of my studies in Germany I am looking forward to professional life and why not working back in Cameroon as a systems engineer and contributing to Nation building in the field of technology engineering and entrepreneurship with the knowledge and Experience. I have acquired during my stay in Germany. Afriland First Bank to me is an eye opener, and serves as footsteps to follow in the platform of excellence and in Entrepreneurship especially in the african context.

I will encourage Afriland First Bank to continuously offer this opportunity to many of us abroad. I hope that with the coming Challenge Camerounais, we will have another winner or two for an internship with Afriland First Bank. 

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