Our Story
A native of Ville du Saguenay, a man of compassion and action. Pascal Thibeault has been working in the Republic of Cameroon since 1993, specifically in Yaoundé, its political capital. He works primarily with orphaned and street children facing multiple and unique challenges. He decided to found the nonprofit organization Groupe d’entraide Yeux du Cœur du Canada after witnessing firsthand the plight of these young people.
What really motivated me to launch this humanitarian initiative were all the painful experiences I’ve gone through—times of sorrow and hardship, yet I never gave up. There is certainly a reason for this: the search for meaning, which is essential for anyone who has struggled with addictions of all kinds and overcome them through determination in the face of adversity. I felt compelled by humanitarian concerns and high intrinsic values; to put it simply, I was concerned about the fate of my fellow human beings, especially the most disadvantaged.
Between his humanitarian trips, whenever he returns to Quebec, Pascal never stops thinking about Cameroon. He gets involved through his charity and raises funds—on average, between $10,000 and $15,000 annually. The “Yeux du Cœur du Canada” support group was founded on October 24, 2011, with the support of the citizens of Saguenay. Our primary goal was to raise public awareness about the reality of life in Africa and to inform people about the precarious situation facing young people there. I firmly believe that our organization, rooted in Quebec, inspires confidence in donors.
Every year, we receive detailed reports from the Cameroonian self-help group “Yeux du Cœur,” explaining how the funds were used. The money raised is used to buy food, make clothing locally, pay for medicine, and provide emergency medical care for young people.
For the “Eyes of the Heart of Canada” support group, the time for altruism has arrived, and today’s society seems to be moving in that direction. We are currently witnessing the emergence of a society where sharing, international cooperation, and trust in others take precedence over the “every man for himself” mentality, suggesting that a new way of thinking about humanity is taking shape. Since our organization’s founding, all of our generous donors have perfectly and beautifully embodied this society that is open to the needs of Cameroonian children.