CHAMEG Hatches Over 40 Female Mediators In Manyu

By Tarhyang Enowbikah Tabe                                                           

As she continues her search for peace in the Anglophone Regions of the Country, Dr Mrs. Meg Agbor through her Organization, Changing Mentalities Empowering Groups, and CHAMEG just wrapped up a two-day skills strengthening workshop on the role of women in Negotiation and Mediation for peaceful coexistence.

The participants of the workshop which was supported by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation and The Network of Manyu women`s Associations –MOHWA included over 40 rural women from Akwaya, Eyumodjock, Upper Banyang and Mamfe Central Sub Divisions.

The overall project aims at contributing towards the return to peace and normalcy in Manyu Division of the Southwest Region.

It seeks to create social cohesion and peaceful co- habitation among the different tribes living in villages.

According to Her Highness Dr. Mrs. Meg Agbor, team lead of the project and CHAMEG Chief Executive Officer, the workshop ended on a very successful note with the women being happy and taking an engagement to replicate the lessons learnt to wider audiences at the Sub Divisional Levels.

The Women also signed the first ever Cameroonian Women Peace Pact which according to Meg Agbor, they are trying to valorize in communities, schools, associations and Churches.

We are happy that in our own little way, we are continuing in building peace by piece.

One other specification of the project is that of inclusion, bringing together women farmers, petit traders, group leaders and physically challenged plus a few He’s for she’s.

The Capacity Building workshop it should be noted was organized barely a few days after a street dance for peace in Mamfe and its surrounding communities.

The Street dance brought together local artists and rural women with one focus, dance for peace and social cohesion.

The next phase of the project on the days ahead will be Face to face Peace discussions with the State and Non State armed groups (Distribution of the Ethical Peace Pact Flyers too), visits and distribution of at least 1,000 Women`s Ethical Peace Pact flyers in schools in Manyu division, rural communities, Churches and meeting groups.

Dr Mrs Agbor Meg while lauding the contributions of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, opined that, initiatives like this with support of organizations such as

The Friedrich Ebert Foundation will go a long way to bring inner peace at some point which will trickle down to the larger communities.

With the dance for peace, the training on the role of women in Negotiation and mediation for peaceful coexistence and the distribution of  ethical peace pact flyers mellanged with face to face talks led by women between and amongst key actors much peace is expected in the days ahead though in may come Piece by Piece

Background 

It should be noted that in collaboration with CHAMEG Cameroon, MOHWA has been carrying out peace education and sensitization campaigns in Manyu division after the Yaounde Peace convention and the follow up session in Limbe.

Groups already touched include the Manyu Paramount chief and his councilors, the Catholic women association, the manyu administration, and a group of non-state armed groups around the Satoum Bridge leading to AKWAYA sub division.

They have evaluated with satisfaction that the various target groups appreciate the messages of the First ever organized Peace convention in Cameroon.

The accompanying Ethical Peace Pact signed at the Limbe meeting even encouraged them more to vulgarize the messages.

In addition, they have noticed considerable calm in rural communities.

According to Agbor Meg, since October 2021 an “unusual” desire of some members of the non-state armed groups to have chats with us concerning the return of our children to community schools in the villages rekindled our sensitization determination”

She added that this sudden change in their hearts has also encouraged us to keep up the motherly conversations with them.