[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$f3pnda2tyljdwi":3,"$f1fn4bvlmx2a6v":232,"page-template:\u002Farticles\u002Fmenga-cameroon-infrastructure:{}":253},{"content":4,"navigationFallbacksEnabled":35,"previewEnvironmentEnabled":35},{"siteKey":5,"siteName":6,"tagline":7,"seo":8,"errorPage":21,"customSettings":36,"globals":41},"darden-report","Darden Report","News and knowledge from the UVA Darden School of Business.",{"title":9,"description":10,"image":11},"Darden Report - The Latest News and Ideas from UVA Darden School of Business","The Darden Report offers the latest news, research, and stories about the University of Virginia Darden School of Business.",{"src":12,"alt":13,"aspectRatio":14,"width":15,"height":16,"bynderDat":17},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002F189175de-2440-489a-939e-91d6f7e7989a\u002FGoodwin-Grounds-autumn","goodwin grounds","6048 \u002F 4024",6048,4024,{"baseUrl":18,"assetId":19,"name":20},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu","189175de-2440-489a-939e-91d6f7e7989a","Goodwin-Grounds-autumn",{"statusLabel":22,"title":23,"summaryBeforeHomeLink":24,"homeLinkLabel":25,"homeHref":26,"summaryAfterHomeLink":27,"searchEnabled":28,"searchLabel":29,"searchPlaceholder":30,"seo":31},"Error 404","Wa-who?","We cannot locate a page at this address. Try searching using the input below or starting from the ","homepage","\u002F",".",true,"Search Darden Report","Search...",{"title":32,"description":33,"robots":34},"Page Not Found",null,{"noindex":28,"nofollow":35},false,{"algoliaEngagement":37},{"activeSeconds":38,"scrollRatio":39,"idleSeconds":40,"mediaPercent":38},20,0.5,60,{"masthead":42,"menuOverlay":58,"footer":191},{"homeHref":26,"tagline":7,"topicsLabel":43,"subscribeLabel":44,"menuLabel":45,"searchLabel":46,"topics":47},"Trending","Subscribe","Open menu","Open search",[48,50,52,54,56],{"label":49,"href":26},"Tariffs Q&A",{"label":51,"href":26},"AI Datacenters",{"label":53,"href":26},"Productivity Boom",{"label":55,"href":26},"CES 2026",{"label":57,"href":26},"Colorado Water Rights",{"overlayLabel":59,"homeHref":26,"tagline":7,"quickLinks":60,"topicsLabel":61,"topics":62,"browseLabel":120,"browseLinks":121,"connectLabel":153,"connectLinks":154,"registerLabel":171,"registerCta":172,"searchLabel":29,"searchPlaceholder":30,"searchSubmitLabel":189,"closeLabel":190},"Site menu",[],"Topics",[63,70,76,82,88,94,101,108,114],{"id":64,"label":65,"href":66,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35,"description":67,"imageSrc":68,"imageAlt":69},"2PGBfQ54OTbNUe92lTxC30","Artificial Intelligence","\u002Ftopics\u002Fartificial-intelligence","Research and expert perspective on intelligent systems, automation, and the changing economics of decision-making. Darden faculty explore how organizations can evaluate emerging tools, govern responsible adoption, and use AI to improve judgment, productivity, customer value, and competitive advantage without losing sight of people and institutional trust.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fsquare-medium\u002Feadee323-faa1-436f-979b-40761fb64624\u002FAI-Primary-Topic-Vertical","Surreal AI-Generated Cosmic Landscape – Generative AI, Art and Human Creativity",{"id":71,"label":72,"href":73,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35,"description":74,"imageSrc":75,"imageAlt":72},"7hvQgsg6I0A9QRkXKcNJrN","Data & Analytics","\u002Ftopics\u002Fdata-analytics","Data & Analysis examines how leaders turn information into sharper questions, stronger evidence, and better decisions. Darden insights cover analytics, experimentation, forecasting, risk, and interpretation, helping organizations separate signal from noise and translate complex findings into practical choices across strategy, operations, markets, and society.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fsquare-medium\u002Fbbea14b9-cfe3-415b-bcab-f97f753f6c54\u002FData-Analytics-Primary-Topic",{"id":77,"label":78,"href":79,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35,"description":80,"imageSrc":81,"imageAlt":78},"7hztN5kb1RdsP9iGiC05dV","Entrepreneurship","\u002Ftopics\u002Fentrepreneurship","Economic and social advancement require leaders who embrace an entrepreneurial outlook and a commitment to innovation. Darden thought leadership emphasizes that an entrepreneurial mindset is about more than starting a new business venture; it encompasses the opportunity-seizing and action-oriented behavior essential for sustained growth in organizations of all sizes.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fsquare-medium\u002Fa8e8e5fe-f1d5-478b-8877-31b8b0c43f0c\u002FThe-Importance-of-Courage",{"id":83,"label":84,"href":85,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35,"description":86,"imageSrc":87,"imageAlt":84},"2dPcCN1FQ26ZIFcvdIsh4","Global Economies & Markets","\u002Ftopics\u002Fglobal-economies-markets","Faculty insight on trade, markets, policy, global business, and economic change. This topic connects macroeconomic forces with organizational decisions, examining how leaders navigate uncertainty, regulation, capital flows, geopolitical shifts, and cross-border opportunity while building resilient institutions in markets that are increasingly interdependent.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fsquare-medium\u002Fd6db5e0d-c0fe-4e51-8f38-5e995d232d04\u002FA-Quick-Queue-or-a-Long-One-Waiting-in-Line-Around-the-World",{"id":89,"label":90,"href":91,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35,"description":92,"imageSrc":93,"imageAlt":90},"7mgp2vBjTofDsgB34ap4nb","Ethics & Society","\u002Ftopics\u002Fbusiness-ethics-society","The multidisciplinary study of Business, Ethics & Society focuses on sustaining, growing and sharing value, not just for businesses and their shareholders, but for stakeholders and the societies in which they operate. This vein of study encompasses ethical decision-making, examination of how business can and does impact society, implications for policy, principles of moral and institutional leadership, and the tenets of stakeholder theory.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fsquare-medium\u002F326ec289-e377-49ca-81ff-8a78a16d7e6d\u002FEthics-and-Society-Primary-Topic",{"id":95,"label":96,"href":97,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35,"description":98,"imageSrc":99,"imageAlt":100},"18nXfYyrV3JAT3y57GWhcK","Leadership & Management","\u002Ftopics\u002Fleadership-management","Practical research for leading teams, organizations, culture, and change. Darden thought leadership explores how managers build trust, make difficult decisions, communicate purpose, develop talent, and guide people through uncertainty while sustaining performance and strengthening the human systems that make organizations work.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fsquare-medium\u002F6557a226-8bac-44d0-83c1-0efdfe88b396\u002F11-Key-Characteristics-of-a-Global-Business-Leader","various colors of blocks stand in an equality and inclusive space, in the style of precisionism influence, silhouette figures, superimposed text, nul group, disfigured forms, miniature illumination, consumer culture critique --ar 128:85 --stylize 50 --v 6 Job ID: 2731b55d-e2b8-4468-81be-bb16e507686f",{"id":102,"label":103,"href":104,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35,"description":105,"imageSrc":106,"imageAlt":107},"5JMdm6cuNXm8p9L15kOLSX","Marketing & Sales","\u002Ftopics\u002Fmarketing-sales","Ideas for understanding customers, building markets, and communicating value. This topic examines consumer behavior, brand strategy, sales effectiveness, pricing, segmentation, and digital channels, helping leaders connect insight to action and create relationships that support growth across changing audiences and competitive environments.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fsquare-medium\u002F146f2b70-b04a-4495-853d-c5b78196f276\u002FMarketing-Primary-Topic","Marketing Primary Topic",{"id":109,"label":110,"href":111,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35,"description":112,"imageSrc":113,"imageAlt":110},"siVfdjcE5Xfd4pbT1jeWD","Operations & Technology","\u002Ftopics\u002Foperations-technology","Research on systems, digital operations, supply chains, and technology-enabled performance. Darden faculty examine how organizations design processes, manage complexity, improve reliability, and use new tools to create efficient, adaptable operations that support strategy, customer experience, and long-term organizational resilience.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fsquare-medium\u002Ff36239ad-c7bf-46fe-93b2-e6df18cb2fef\u002FOperations-Technology-Primary-Topic",{"id":115,"label":116,"href":117,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35,"description":118,"imageSrc":119,"imageAlt":116},"4NDEiXoxAt8TlDGLBWYCqu","Strategy","\u002Ftopics\u002Fstrategy","Frameworks and evidence for competition, growth, transformation, and long-term enterprise decisions. Strategy insights from Darden help leaders assess where to play, how to win, when to change course, and how to allocate resources in ways that create durable advantage amid uncertainty.","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fsquare-medium\u002Ff8c81a7f-2b2c-4d37-964e-84382b3b1ef5\u002FBeyond-Strategy-3-Lessons-and-4-Ingredients-of-Execution","Browse",[122,126,130,134,138,142,145,149],{"id":123,"label":124,"href":125,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"49UXns6sWSYS1QfelJsnUS","Articles","\u002Farticles",{"id":127,"label":128,"href":129,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"5h02IsSCwqwqdvAeEfC2uq","Podcasts","\u002Fpodcasts",{"id":131,"label":132,"href":133,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"3i2eJKSFhZolFdIe3c6t5V","Videos","\u002Fvideos",{"id":135,"label":136,"href":137,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"7x4aolsVH0DQFMby9iunAJ","Media Features","\u002Fmedia-features",{"id":139,"label":140,"href":141,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"3rM0mhH3WJY4ThjFiyfnoV","Experts","\u002Fexpert\u002Fdirectory",{"id":143,"label":44,"href":144,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"1pq8d8gTugtnM0goPxBXVR","#subscribe",{"id":146,"label":147,"href":148,"external":28,"openInNewWindow":28},"2G9kuRukBaUj9ddCJur1rC","Give","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.givecampus.com\u002Fcampaigns\u002F20048\u002Fdonations\u002Fnew",{"id":150,"label":151,"href":152,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"1ql3y6NAQuUglXnn3dKJPy","About","\u002Fabout","Connect with Darden",[155,159,163,167],{"id":156,"label":157,"href":158,"external":28,"openInNewWindow":28},"2EPrW3IELdCZUN4AdZc5aU","Facebook","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.facebook.com\u002FDardenMBA",{"id":160,"label":161,"href":162,"external":28,"openInNewWindow":28},"382CfbeZQiqklJrRmCGew4","Instagram","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.instagram.com\u002Fdardenmba\u002F",{"id":164,"label":165,"href":166,"external":28,"openInNewWindow":28},"5IPd9qziZHiSSLmZ9ypypW","LinkedIn","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.linkedin.com\u002Fedu\u002Fschool?id=19605",{"id":168,"label":169,"href":170,"external":28,"openInNewWindow":28},"5DpGLgbQS541wvmzk7yAn4","YouTube","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fuser\u002FDardenMBA","Featured Event",{"id":173,"href":174,"external":28,"accessibleLabel":175,"openInNewWindow":28,"image":176,"date":185,"startDateTime":186,"endDateTime":187,"title":188},"2OftuuWa4o3t7636QVklXu","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.darden.virginia.edu\u002Fexecutive-education\u002Fthe-executive-program","Learn More About the Program",{"src":177,"alt":178,"aspectRatio":179,"width":180,"height":180,"bynderDat":181},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fsquare-medium\u002Fbdb3b0e3-245c-4d82-99a3-fac606db94f6\u002FPLE-20th-Anniversary-Conference","The PLE conference at the Darden School of Business. Photo\u002FAndrew Shurtleff Photography, LLC","1 \u002F 1",700,{"baseUrl":18,"assetId":182,"name":183,"preset":184},"bdb3b0e3-245c-4d82-99a3-fac606db94f6","PLE-20th-Anniversary-Conference","square-medium","Oct 6, 2026-May 7, 2027","2026-10-06","2027-05-07","The Executive Program: Advanced Management","Submit search","Close menu",{"homeHref":26,"links":192,"subscribeHeading":227,"subscribeLabel":44,"imageSrc":228,"imageAlt":229,"institutionalLabel":230,"copyright":231},[193,197,201,204,207,211,214,217,219,223],{"id":194,"label":195,"href":196,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"6GCwvduoNlDEeO6nq1laFq","For The Media","\u002Ffor-the-media",{"id":198,"label":199,"href":200,"external":28,"openInNewWindow":28},"2lqtlsCRCghroHk8jgcCi0","Publications","https:\u002F\u002Fstore.darden.virginia.edu\u002F",{"id":202,"label":203,"href":26,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"4rcubVXgLnQBYxJ833G7DO","Press Releases",{"id":205,"label":206,"href":26,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"6ColvvcR2M2zggiQQ0l965","In the Media",{"id":208,"label":209,"href":210,"external":28,"openInNewWindow":28},"61sOurYMjR8U4mU5omcUjP","Apply to Darden","https:\u002F\u002Fapply.darden.virginia.edu\u002Fapply\u002F",{"id":212,"label":213,"href":148,"external":28,"openInNewWindow":28},"563xnF7I5F2UYWYwJc5eXE","Support Darden",{"id":215,"label":216,"href":152,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"2BySyFumqkDGPDVmTtMYai","Contact Us",{"id":218,"label":151,"href":152,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"4QSVOSvmRnltRwfr5rLoSS",{"id":220,"label":221,"href":222,"external":28,"openInNewWindow":28},"75C0Q1ojWWmESgYLsm9bQk","Privacy Policy","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.darden.virginia.edu\u002Fprivacy-policy-copyright",{"id":224,"label":225,"href":226,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"35rcom3AAkYzApoNSavl1g","Search Darden","\u002Fsearch","Get Darden news, research, and thought leadership in your inbox.","\u002Fimages\u002Fdarden-report-footer.png","Autumn foliage over a brick courtyard at the UVA Darden School of Business.","UVA Darden School of Business","Copyright ©2026 The Rector and Visitors Of The University Of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.",{"enabled":28,"complete":28,"capacity":233,"label":43,"stale":35,"items":234},4,[235,241,245,249],{"contentId":236,"contentType":237,"label":238,"href":239,"source":240},"3IO50DiUrQm8ML20joajCL","article","Defense Innovation at Darden","\u002Farticles\u002Fthe-business-of-national-defense-is-changing-so-is-the-classroom","algolia",{"contentId":242,"contentType":237,"label":243,"href":244,"source":240},"oLrcIA6h9zrkJE7sWBOJw","Int'l Sports Come to US","\u002Farticles\u002Finternational-sporting-events-in-united-states",{"contentId":246,"contentType":237,"label":247,"href":248,"source":240},"22wTj6Ft5dIG0sYFR56NMO","Darden + Verizon for AI Skills","\u002Farticles\u002Fuva-darden-joins-verizon-ai-skills-for-america-initiative",{"contentId":250,"contentType":237,"label":251,"href":252,"source":240},"5J9eedsm6rWYdD1adb3BKj","The Case Method Meets Its AI…","\u002Farticles\u002Fai-darden-case-method",{"path":254,"template":255,"content":256,"context":389},"\u002Farticles\u002Fmenga-cameroon-infrastructure","articlePage",{"id":257,"title":258,"slug":259,"path":254,"modifiedAt":260,"summary":261,"publishedDate":266,"topics":269,"authors":276,"insightsFrom":277,"topper":278,"bodyBlocks":287,"outro":343,"seo":381},"legacy-article-70","Improving the World Starts With Improving Home for UVA Darden Student From Cameroon","menga-cameroon-infrastructure","2026-09-24T22:18:48.037Z",{"plainText":262,"inlines":263},"Buying a bus to help transport young students is just one way Jean-Marie Menga (MBA ’16) is helping improve his native Cameroon.",[264],{"type":265,"value":262},"text",{"display":267,"dateTime":268},"28 October 2015","2015-10-28T21:28:52.000Z",[270,272],{"id":271,"label":90,"href":91},"business-ethics-society",{"id":273,"label":274,"href":275},"finance-investing","Finance & Investing","\u002Ftopics\u002Ffinance-investing",[],[],{"id":279,"variant":280,"title":258,"subheadline":33,"topic":281,"image":282},"legacy-article-70-topper","small",{"id":271,"label":90,"href":91},{"src":283,"alt":284,"aspectRatio":179,"width":180,"height":180,"bynderDat":285},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fsquare-medium\u002F84dc91fa-ce5b-4d9e-a180-64315dff3224\u002F7021-jpg","7021-jpg",{"baseUrl":18,"assetId":286,"name":284,"preset":184},"84dc91fa-ce5b-4d9e-a180-64315dff3224",[288],{"id":289,"contentType":290,"region":291,"render":292},"legacy-article-70-body-0","richText","body",{"component":293,"props":294},"RichTextBlock",{"content":295},{"blocks":296},[297,311,316,328,333,338],{"type":298,"content":299},"paragraph",[300,303,308],{"type":265,"value":301,"marks":302},"Jean-Marie Menga (Class of 2016) knew his mission before he arrived at the ",[],{"type":304,"value":305,"href":306,"external":28,"marks":307},"link","University of Virginia Darden School of Business","http:\u002F\u002Fwww.darden.virginia.edu\u002F",[],{"type":265,"value":309,"marks":310},": Be a leader for his hometown in Cameroon.",[],{"type":298,"content":312},[313],{"type":265,"value":314,"marks":315},"He and his family, including eight siblings, saved enough money to buy a 66-seat bus to carry young children in their small town to nearby schools, which are all several miles away. As a college undergraduate student in Connecticut and, later, working for United Technologies Corp., Menga would send money to old friends in need. However, his efforts were like the bus itself — able to help some, but not enough to serve all.",[],{"type":298,"content":317},[318,321,325],{"type":265,"value":319,"marks":320},"Professor ",[],{"type":304,"value":322,"href":323,"external":28,"marks":324},"Bobby Parmar","http:\u002F\u002Fwww.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ffaculty-research\u002Fdirectory\u002Fbidhan-l-parmar\u002F",[],{"type":265,"value":326,"marks":327}," urged Menga to narrow his focus to how he could best help his home, create a plan and form a group of people dedicated to the cause. He’s following that advice, and meets with his family whenever possible to discuss how they can create sustainable opportunities in their home country.",[],{"type":298,"content":329},[330],{"type":265,"value":331,"marks":332},"After graduation, Menga will work as an investment banker in New York. He even used his signing bonus to buy a second 66-passenger bus for his hometown. He believes the job provides the best opportunity to develop his business skills, learn how to manage different types of businesses, understand the financial markets and send capital home, all of which will help execute his vision for development projects in Cameroon.",[],{"type":298,"content":334},[335],{"type":265,"value":336,"marks":337},"Menga is devising ideas to improve the country’s infrastructure through better roads and access to transportation, improved storage and distribution of agricultural products, and quality affordable housing.",[],{"type":298,"content":339},[340],{"type":265,"value":341,"marks":342},"“I believe everyone has the capacity to do amazing things,” Menga says. “The only differences are opportunities and willpower. Where I come from, there is a lack of opportunity, and I want to create it for them.”",[],{"tags":344,"pressContact":350,"bios":380},{"topics":345,"storyType":348},[346,347],{"id":271,"label":90,"href":91},{"id":273,"label":274,"href":275},{"label":349,"href":125},"Article",{"id":351,"heading":352,"body":353,"image":363,"action":371,"contactLabel":373,"contactId":374,"contactName":375,"contactTitle":376,"contactEmail":377},"1JXqEbL3azVV5umnM8ChNj","About UVA Darden School of Business",{"blocks":354},[355,359],{"type":298,"content":356},[357],{"type":265,"value":358},"The University of Virginia Darden School of Business prepares responsible global leaders through unparalleled transformational learning experiences.",{"type":298,"content":360},[361],{"type":265,"value":362},"Darden's graduate degree programs and Executive Education & Lifelong Learning programs offered by the Darden School Foundation set the stage for a lifetime of career advancement and impact.",{"src":364,"alt":365,"aspectRatio":366,"width":367,"height":368,"bynderDat":369},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fc88de114-fc91-4aa8-b801-2e987f7a4a22\u002FDarden_Spring_Environmental_Spring_25_Saunders_Hall_20","Darden_Spring_Environmental_Spring_25_Saunders_Hall_20","8354 \u002F 5569",8354,5569,{"baseUrl":18,"assetId":370,"name":365},"c88de114-fc91-4aa8-b801-2e987f7a4a22",{"label":372,"href":26,"external":35,"openInNewWindow":35},"Learn More","Press Contact","2KGmVfjHQigGuWjTI4aCKw","Lauren Foster","Senor Director of Communications",{"label":378,"href":379},"fosterl@darden.virginia.edu","mailto:fosterl@darden.virginia.edu",[],{"title":258,"description":262,"image":382},{"src":383,"alt":284,"aspectRatio":384,"width":385,"height":386,"bynderDat":387},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.darden.virginia.edu\u002Ftransform\u002Fwidescreen-large\u002F84dc91fa-ce5b-4d9e-a180-64315dff3224\u002F7021-jpg?io=transform%3Afill%2Cwidth%3A1200%2Cheight%3A630&quality=75","1200 \u002F 630",1200,630,{"baseUrl":18,"assetId":286,"name":284,"preset":388},"widescreen-large",{"canonicalPath":254,"identity":390},{"id":257,"contentType":237,"title":258,"path":254,"publishedAt":268,"modifiedAt":260,"topics":391,"authors":394,"eligibility":395},[392,393],{"id":271,"label":90},{"id":273,"label":274},[],{"searchEngines":28,"followLinks":28,"internalSearch":28}]