Celebrating the Day of the Girl at the Baptist Health Centre Nkwen-Bamenda on the 11th October 2018
“With Her: A Skillful Girl Force” and the national theme – “Empowering Girls Before, During and After Crisis”. The international day of the girl child was commemorated in Bamenda, North West Region by Mother of Hope Cameroon (MOHCAM) in collaboration with the Social Economic Empowerment of People with Disability (SEEPD) at the Baptist Center Nkwen with about eighty (80) girls, including girls with disabilities in attendance.
The focus of this inclusive workshop was to educate adolescent girls in crisis on security and protection tips, sexual reproductive health rights and to enhance creative skills in developing future opportunities for girls. They were also drilled on inclusive development and how to incorporate people living with disabilities in their day to day lives.
The workshop started at 10:00am with opening prayers and the agenda/program was read and adopted. This was immediately followed by a welcome speech delivered by the Executive Director of MOHCAM Mme Adah Mbah.
The Divisional delegate of MINPROF Mme Cordelia Assene who also welcomed the adolescent girls to this enriching and empowering workshop. She encouraged them to put what they will learn into practice and to develop life skills that will help them to be better women leaders in future. This was quickly followed by the day’s presentations from the resource persons.
Activities Carried Out
Safety and Protection Tips for Adolescent Girls in Crisis: The first presentation was on safety tips or attitudes to be adopted by the adolescent girls in times of crisis. There are many do’s and don’ts that adolescent girls need to know so as to be able to stay away from falling victims of violence in times of crisis.
The second presentation was based on the concept of abstinence. Here the girls were encouraged to abstain from destructive and deviant behaviours like pornography, negative peer pressure, premarital sex, promiscuity, abortions, drugs abuse, gossip and other negative behaviours and social vices can jeopardize their future.
Skilled Training in Beading and Production of Hair Oil:The fourth presentation was based at training the girls on skills on how to produce hair oil.
Articles made out of beads which will occupy them and help them generate income and reduce poverty.
The closing remarks were pronounced by the Regional Chief of Antenna National Volunteering Programme North West, MINJEC. She encouraged the adolescent girls to be brave and take action by volunteering.
She emphasized on the importance of volunteerism. She also enlightened them on the opportunities offered by the Ministry of youth affairs and civic education.
She praised them for their commitment and steadfast during this period of the crisis. She wished all a safe journey home and promised to meet them again in the girl’s subsequent programs.
They organizers thanked the girls for coming and they were informed about the subsequent Girl Change Leader (GCL) workshops which will be based on developing girl’s capacities in feminist leadership.
The girls were very happy with the learning opportunity and they promised to put all they have learned into practice.
They also promised to teach their peers who were not able to be part of this enriching inclusive workshop.
The girls were offered both reusable and disposable sanitary pads.
They also received educational materials and books which were donated by Enservii and Book Aide International.
They were taught how to use and preserve the reusable pads. They were also encouraged to read the books and to use of their time wisely.
The Workshop ended at 4pm with a heavy refreshment.
The girls were so excited as the received their gifts and thanked the organizers for making it possible for this wonderful and relaxing celebration of the International Day of the Girl 2018.