By Bakah Derick
The National Workshop for Peace and Security that held in Bamenda on the 11th and 12th of September 2015 goes down in history as an uncommon initiative in searching for lasting peace and security in Cameroon. Organised by the Non profit Non Governmental Organization Hope for the Needy Association HOFNA in collaboration with others like Women for Change; Youth Renaissance International- Cameroon and the Mandela Washington Fellows, the workshop had as purpose to discuss and address the current security threats in Cameroon and make necessary recommendations for actions in enhancing peace and security.
Placed under the theme: Enhancing Multicultural Dialogue for Peace and Security in Cameroon, the workshop assembled over 100 youths from nine of Cameroon's ten regions.
With some of the best minds on issues of youths and women empowerment, multicultural dialogue, leadership, peace, security and many others in Bamenda, the young people deliberated on how well they could build on ongoing efforts by the government of Cameroon and many actors to step-up public attention to women and young people's contribution to promoting and sustaining peace and security in Cameroon.
The Founder and Director of HOFNA Christelle Bay C in her welcome remarks signaled th need for government to consider youths, girls and women as valuable actors in the search for long and lasting peace in Cameroon. Giving youths a listening ear and empowering them could be a step in the right direction. The workshop she told the governor will be a converging point between government action and youth contributions for a peaceful country.
Lele Lafrique Adolphe Tchoffo NW Governor addressing the opening
The Mandela Washington Fellows Violet Forum, Patience Agwejang, Ngong Mirabel and Christelle Bay C president, shared varied experience on their journey to the fellowship. According to most of them their success was due to sacrifices made over life's many self satisfying offers and volunteering. They all encouraged the youths to make sacrifices for their country and surely they will not go in vain. There was an encouragement for young people to use the social media wisely and look for opportunities that can contribute positively to their lives.
Youths from the North of Cameroon
A good number of Youths came from the Adamawa, North and Far North Regions of Cameroon. During an experience sharing moment, these young people literary pulled down tears from the eyes of fellow participants as they recounted their different experiences with the militant group Boko Harm and the soldiers who have practically placed them in Prisons. As sympathetic as it was the young people still expressed themselves as youth leaders presenting a good number of activities they are involved in to preach peace and emancipate the fellow countrymen from the fangs of the terrorists. The young leaders from the North Presented flyers, Musical CDs and banners produced to inform their respective populations on the need for peace and security with particularly emphasis on how to identity a suicide bomber.
Peace For the Far North
Away from the many recommendations, the "Peace message for the Far North" was one of the prime activities of the two days gathering. With emotions the young leaders addressed diverse message in writing to their kind in the far north with the assurance of their support and concern dispite all the challenges with the recurrent attacks.
She is the Founder of HOFNA and leader of the project and a YALI Fellow. A young and dynamic young woman 30, who has identified the real problems of her community and has decided to have things done and rightly. Through HOFNA, Christelle Bay C has trained and equipped over 300 young people in life skills, tailoring, computer repairs and much more.
After her stay in Tulane University where she revived training in Civic Leadership, she returned to Cameroon and has organized workshops with hundreds of women and girls to share what she learned. Christelle Bay C is one of the 12 Madela Wishington Fellows from 2014 who has been so far serving as president of the fellows in Cameroon. She is accompanied in this US sponsored project by Jean-Marc A Mbafor current president of the Cameroon National Youth Council and Regina M. Zoneziwoh who is founder of the NGO Women for Change.
What next?
The enhancing multicultural Dialogue for Peace and security in Cameroon according to want we gathered will conclude with a Peace Tour at the University of Maroua with a seminar expecting over 300 youths. An entrepreneurship contest named "I am Agri-Cool" is expected to be launched at the close of the Maroua stay.
After workshop Conversations have continued on social media with the youths continuously talking about the workshop and the need for peace.
#AStand4PeaceAndSecurity
The National Workshop for Peace and Security that held in Bamenda on the 11th and 12th of September 2015 goes down in history as an uncommon initiative in searching for lasting peace and security in Cameroon. Organised by the Non profit Non Governmental Organization Hope for the Needy Association HOFNA in collaboration with others like Women for Change; Youth Renaissance International- Cameroon and the Mandela Washington Fellows, the workshop had as purpose to discuss and address the current security threats in Cameroon and make necessary recommendations for actions in enhancing peace and security.
Placed under the theme: Enhancing Multicultural Dialogue for Peace and Security in Cameroon, the workshop assembled over 100 youths from nine of Cameroon's ten regions.
With some of the best minds on issues of youths and women empowerment, multicultural dialogue, leadership, peace, security and many others in Bamenda, the young people deliberated on how well they could build on ongoing efforts by the government of Cameroon and many actors to step-up public attention to women and young people's contribution to promoting and sustaining peace and security in Cameroon.
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| National Workshop for Peace and Security Closing Picture Bamenda |
The Opening Ceremony
The Founder and Director of HOFNA Christelle Bay C in her welcome remarks signaled th need for government to consider youths, girls and women as valuable actors in the search for long and lasting peace in Cameroon. Giving youths a listening ear and empowering them could be a step in the right direction. The workshop she told the governor will be a converging point between government action and youth contributions for a peaceful country.
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Northwest Governor Adolph Lele L'Afrique refused to joined the ranks of many other Cameroonian administrators who have chosen to be so passive about Youth issues in Cameroon. With a very tide schedule, the regional head administrator made it to the opening ceremony. Not just did he come to declare the event open as has always been the case, Governor Lele took time off to receive questions from both the media and the many young people who showed up while still seating in the hall. While assuring the young people of Government's effort to put to rest the current security challenges facing Canmeroon, Governor Lele edeged the youths not to throw themselves for use by those who hate the peace in Cameroon.
The Deputy Chief of Missions DCM to the US Embassy in Yaounde Cameroon and a huge delegation from the embassy equally answered present. As the Governor received and answered questions so was the DCM. In responding to one of the questions the DCM noted that Cameroon is so strategic and unique to Africa and the world and consequently the youths should not allow such values to be destroyed through them. Mathew Smith presented the Mandela Washington Fellowship as a recognition of hardwork for some African youths who love their country and want to contribute to make it better. He indicted that the US people are with Cameroon in the fight against terrorism.
Presentations Highlights
Rev Dr. Tata Humphrey Mbuy Director of Communications in the Archdiocese of Bamenda on "interfaith and intercultural dialogue for peace and security in Cameroon" wondered why some people in the name of religion will begin to kill others haphazardly when no religion at least Islam and Christianity does not allow anyone to kill for the purpose of propagating their religious ideas or evangelization.
John Mbafor President of the Cameroon National Youth Council, Ngassa Wise Founder of AFCIG and Kamdem Roseline Magne Director Africa Youth Alliance Group in different interventions encouraged the young people to aspire for leadership functions so as to galvanise their kind who out number the different age groups in Cameroon for change in peace and security. Being a servant by working for the development of the community they emphasized is capital.
Madam Kendemeh in charge of Gender and popularisation in the Ministry of Women's empowerment and the Family presented Women as main actors in enhancing Socio Economic Development and security in Cameroon. According to the MINPROF official Women should combine efforts and stand by each other in other to achieve peace for their country.
Rev Fr Tata Humphrey Mbuy Speaking during the event
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| National Workshop for Peace and Security Bamenda opening ceremony |
The Deputy Chief of Missions DCM to the US Embassy in Yaounde Cameroon and a huge delegation from the embassy equally answered present. As the Governor received and answered questions so was the DCM. In responding to one of the questions the DCM noted that Cameroon is so strategic and unique to Africa and the world and consequently the youths should not allow such values to be destroyed through them. Mathew Smith presented the Mandela Washington Fellowship as a recognition of hardwork for some African youths who love their country and want to contribute to make it better. He indicted that the US people are with Cameroon in the fight against terrorism.
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| Mathew Smith DCM US Embassy Yaoundé Cameroon |
Presentations Highlights
Rev Dr. Tata Humphrey Mbuy Director of Communications in the Archdiocese of Bamenda on "interfaith and intercultural dialogue for peace and security in Cameroon" wondered why some people in the name of religion will begin to kill others haphazardly when no religion at least Islam and Christianity does not allow anyone to kill for the purpose of propagating their religious ideas or evangelization.
John Mbafor President of the Cameroon National Youth Council, Ngassa Wise Founder of AFCIG and Kamdem Roseline Magne Director Africa Youth Alliance Group in different interventions encouraged the young people to aspire for leadership functions so as to galvanise their kind who out number the different age groups in Cameroon for change in peace and security. Being a servant by working for the development of the community they emphasized is capital.
Madam Kendemeh in charge of Gender and popularisation in the Ministry of Women's empowerment and the Family presented Women as main actors in enhancing Socio Economic Development and security in Cameroon. According to the MINPROF official Women should combine efforts and stand by each other in other to achieve peace for their country.
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Achaleke Christians Cameroon Youth Ambassador to the Commonwealth, Dr William Wirgo district Medical Officer Wum Health District, Fidel Djebba President Association Rayons de Soleil, Laura Nadine Justice and Peace Commission Archdiocese of Bamenda, Tabe Valery of Youth Renaissance international and others shared on diverse issues all geared towards empowering the youth as development, peace and security actors in Cameroon. Choves Loh Northwest office head for SOPECAM and Cameroon Tribune on The role of the Media and Responsible communication in promoting Peace ,security and stability in Cameroon guided the young people on identifying what is true from false in the news they are served by journalists. He stressed the need to report to build and not destroy.
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| Choves Loh in the middle |
The Mandela Washington Fellows Violet Forum, Patience Agwejang, Ngong Mirabel and Christelle Bay C president, shared varied experience on their journey to the fellowship. According to most of them their success was due to sacrifices made over life's many self satisfying offers and volunteering. They all encouraged the youths to make sacrifices for their country and surely they will not go in vain. There was an encouragement for young people to use the social media wisely and look for opportunities that can contribute positively to their lives.
Youths from the North of Cameroon
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| HOFNA Director Christelle Bay C and Youth Leaders from the North and East regions |
A good number of Youths came from the Adamawa, North and Far North Regions of Cameroon. During an experience sharing moment, these young people literary pulled down tears from the eyes of fellow participants as they recounted their different experiences with the militant group Boko Harm and the soldiers who have practically placed them in Prisons. As sympathetic as it was the young people still expressed themselves as youth leaders presenting a good number of activities they are involved in to preach peace and emancipate the fellow countrymen from the fangs of the terrorists. The young leaders from the North Presented flyers, Musical CDs and banners produced to inform their respective populations on the need for peace and security with particularly emphasis on how to identity a suicide bomber.
Peace For the Far North
Away from the many recommendations, the "Peace message for the Far North" was one of the prime activities of the two days gathering. With emotions the young leaders addressed diverse message in writing to their kind in the far north with the assurance of their support and concern dispite all the challenges with the recurrent attacks.
 |
| Christelle Bay C Director and Founder of HOFNA Cameroon |
She is the Founder of HOFNA and leader of the project and a YALI Fellow. A young and dynamic young woman 30, who has identified the real problems of her community and has decided to have things done and rightly. Through HOFNA, Christelle Bay C has trained and equipped over 300 young people in life skills, tailoring, computer repairs and much more.
What next?
The enhancing multicultural Dialogue for Peace and security in Cameroon according to want we gathered will conclude with a Peace Tour at the University of Maroua with a seminar expecting over 300 youths. An entrepreneurship contest named "I am Agri-Cool" is expected to be launched at the close of the Maroua stay.
After workshop Conversations have continued on social media with the youths continuously talking about the workshop and the need for peace.
#AStand4PeaceAndSecurity