The Launch

Zoneziwoh MbondguloThe group is the initiative of Zoneziwoh Mbondgulo.

Women For A Change Cameroon (WFAC) is a local women’s voluntary group, founded 2009 on empathy, trust and sincerity. Originally called WFAC Buea, the group works to promote the empowerment of women in creating a caring community cutting across the gender barriers and constraints.

Through its training seminars, leadership discussions, and HIV and gender advocacy programs, it has successfully reached out to tens of hundreds of young people in the community (as well as the online global/local audience).

WFAC Buea was launched November 2009, with a Safe World workshop: "Say No to Violence Against Women"

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE WORKSHOP

The facilitator noted the fact that most women advocates are elderly (above 35 years) but amazingly WFAC Buea are young women below 30 years old.

'Be the Change'

The workshop included a talk entitled 'Be the Change', by Elvis Wepngong from the Organisation for Gender, Civic Engagement and Youth Development (OGCEYOD)

Mr Wepngong encouraged women to become empowered rather than waiting on the government and other support.

He cited examples of some successful women like: a woman in a city of Mutengene who started a pepper farming project and producing liquid pepper out of it. At the start of her project, the husband was very uncooperative and complained of not liking the scent of the pepper. This woman’s husband will usually left his house and came back only late at night leaving the wife psychologically tortured/violated but she insisting on achieving her dream…

Now, she is economically stable and has earned respect from her husband who is also encouraging her of which he never did at first. This said woman has moved out of violence and has made a change.

After citing these successful women to encourage women carry on with their dreams, this speaker enchanted a song thus;
“We shall overcome…We shall overcome…We shall overcome someday”

He ended his talk by encouraging women to take a bold step and say no to violence inflicted on them.

This wonderful motivational talk was showered with a musical performance from a young girl of Global Initiative for Development.

PROPOSALS

FGM education awareness in schools & colleges:

"We are going to start by sensitizing local Chiefs"

To connect with Local chiefs, so that during cultural events, festivals and traditional exhibition, they could give WFAC Buea members the chance to sensitize and educate the people about other forms of violence, in particular Female Genital Mutilation.

Acknowledging the fact that there are conflicting views between the modern society and the traditional society with respect to violence perpetuated on women, we are going to start by sensitizing local Chiefs.

FINALLY...

Everybody took a promise to say “No to Violence on Women" and never be a part of Violence against women nor condole with perpetrators.