CAMRAISE ACADEMY/ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE BAMENDA CHALLENGES NGO's/CSO's IN DISCUSSION FORUM.

 

Participants

According to statistics, more than 10000 persons have been displaced from their homes within the North West Region, with almost 5000 of them being Women who are heads of their respective families.

Since the escalation of the crisis in the North West and South West Regions, many persons have been displaced from their homes amongst these persons Women and girls form the largest percentage.

The coming of the crisis gave birth to many Non Governmental Organizations and Civil Society Organizations, while the already existing ones build their interest towards the crisis with the motive of providing humanitarian aid to victims of the crisis. Their works on the field is highly appreciated, however some of the NGO's/CSO's are using the crisis as business ground to enrich themselves, this to the detriment of the victims who are supposed to benefit from the funds that these NGO's/CSO's gets from international founders.

With the above worries, and inline with the celebration of the 38th edition of the International women's rights day, commemorated each on the 8th of March, Camraise Academy in partnership with Alliance Française Bamenda, on Sunday March 5, 2023 organised a "Discussion Forum" to review the Impact of humanitarian aid by NGOs to internally displaced Women in the North West Region.

In the course of the discussion, participants were frank enough to appreciate the works carryout by these Non Governmental Organization, they recommended that the manner of giving out these humanitarian aids should be reviewed.

"Most of the vulnerable needy Women are not shortlisted during distribution. The NGO's/CSO's  need to carefully select women who are really in need given that most people usually post as IDPs of which they are not. The crisis is above 6 years now, the NGO's/ CSO's Should be able to empower these IDP women to get into income generating activities". Said Sylvie Banta

According to Nsah Edwin, Most of this NGO's/CSO's are not actually meeting the needs of the IDP Women.

"This discussion Forum is timely, it comes at a time when women are Oppressed, suppressed and depressed with what is ongoing on in terms of humanitarian aid in the Region. We all understand that Most NGO's are making huge gains from the crisis, even when assistance is coming it is not enough to meet the need of the IDP women" Nsah Edwin 

Adding to his voice, Choves Loh decried actions of some of these NGOs who are using the crisis as an industry to make profit rather than providing the necessary aids to the victims of the crisis.

One of the participant, who is an IDP from Bui said that she has never benefited from any aid eventhough she has been contacted by several NGO's who only takes her informations.

"It is sad that since I left Nso and came to Bamenda because of this crisis, I have never benefited from any NGO. Some have contacted me but I ended up not receiving anything from them. Sometimes I see those who are not even IDPs collecting material meant for IDPs. I pray and hope the right people who are actually in need benefit from these aids" said one of the IDP women.

Given that most NGO's/CSO's in the North West Region are headed by Women, participants used the forum to challenge these Women to actually used their organisations and create a positive impact on the ground.

Keng Juliette Chi, the Regional PCC Peace office Coordinator for the North West and West Regions, added her voice to appreciate the works carryout by Women inorder to rescue other women who are in need in the restive North West Region. She called on the women to  build peace through resilient.

Camraise Academy and Alliance Française Bamenda have thus taken the lead to regularly organised discussion forums on different topics which will go a long way to build a stronger Society.

By Arnaud Kouamo