From Bakah
Derick in Bamenda
The training which started with close to 70 internally displaced women and young teenage mothers in the Northwest is continuing in the Southwest with about 50 in attendance.
The training which falls within an ongoing
project by the Bamenda women and girls focused association christened the
Promotion of Women's economic empowerment and rights POWER project according to
Christelle Bay Nfor Executive Director of HOFNA also includes the fundamentals
of starting and running a business and an introduction to how involvement in
microfinance can build businesses. "At HOFNA, we believe that economically
empowering women and girls promotes peace and serves as a prevention as well as
response mechanism to End Gender Based Violence!"
While acquiring the technical skills, the
trainees are also receiving lessons on what it takes to start a business in our
local context and what it takes to sustain that business. Facilitating the
training, HOFNA's Programs Manager Munteh focused on the Fundamentals of
starting and running a business and especially on Microfinance! This according
to the association's executive director is what makes the training Program
stand out.
"Our skill building Program sparks the
creativity of the women and teenage mothers and drills them on the fundamentals
of starting and running a business. This inspires hope, promotes empowerment,
serves as a response mechanism to Gender Based violence in conflict affected
communities like ours and promotes the kind of Peace HOFNA believes in - the
calm in the mind, body and spirit of Every woman and girl." Christele Bay
said
The training had as principal activities beading
which the trainer Luchuo Joycelyn explained consists combining different beads with
leather and some hard plastics to produce especial sandals and
"Ankara" which is the used of lone or cultural fabrics commonly
called wrapper to recycle items like shoes, handbags, caps, jackets amongst
others. These items according to her can constitute a good source of income if
properly designed and marketed. She notes that the trainees were very dedicated
to learning and have shown good potentials for yong entrepreneurs.
Mirable Ndum a Bamenda based beneficiary, internally
displaced from Belo in Boyo Division admits that the training is necessary and
will be very useful. "I am very happy I had the privilege to participate
in this training program. I had no handwork per say and today I am happy to
have been given these skills which will help me to do beads for myself and even
for sale. I am very grateful to HOFNA for this opportunity."
Mukete Mboke Adel and Ngwa Lovelyne all
beneficiaries have also have also expressed gratitude to HOFNA Cameroon promissing
to use the skill for personal development.
Dr Hilarion Wirdzeka Faison Northwest regional
delegate for Culture who closed the Bamenda training encouraged the trainees to
use the skills acquired for self economic empowerment being conscious of the
need to invest for the growth of their businesses. He appreciated HOFNA for
considering the plight of IDPs and teenage mothers particularly in times of
crisis like now.
The training of IPD and teenage mothers is
part of the POWER project which is also facilitating the training of the 200
women leaders from the North West And South West Regions of Cameroon on human
rights and response to/prevention of gender based violence, an interactive
community radio program, the setting up of survival support networks in the
North West and South West Regions to facilitate reporting and follow up of
cases of GBV and the Initiating and sustaining a helpline to facilitate
reporting of cases of Gender Based Violence.