Our impact is grounded in our commitment to and shared vision with communities and partners around the world. 

ABEMO-WOMEN OF VISION is a non-profit, Non-Governmental Organization created in March 1998 in the South West Region by female Elites in Cameroon. It envisions a just, compassionate and democratic society, where men and women participate equally in all aspects of life. Our Mission is to improve on the standards of living of women and children with objectives to; • Promote Human Rights and Peace in Cameroon. 

• Promote continuing Education and Empowerment of women and girls 

• Advocate / lobby for issues affecting the lives of women and girls. 

• Stimulate public opinion on issues concerning girls and women and create a platform for discussions. 

• Encourage the application of women’s knowledge and skills to their problems and their participation in solving them.

 PROGRAMMES 

Civic Education on the Eradication of Female Genital Mutilation The project started since 2001 with the goal of building a general consensus in community on the eradication of FGM. The community believes that FGM initiates the girls into womanhood, controls female sexuality, controls birth rate and conserves the monogamous status of the women. The Programme involves sensitization meetings, workshops, community advocacy and mentoring. The discussions in all the meetings geared toward a general consensus to stop the practice but to continue the traditional dance of “Nkim” (performed by victim).

 More girls and boys from 30 communities benefited; in Eyumojock sub division including, Inonkon, Ndepya, Out, Ewelle, Kembong and others. Activities include; sensitization and supply of basic school needs. Over 10.000 pupils in some primary schools in Ejagham area in Manyu, Meme, Ndian and Fako divisions received didactic material. Some girls were also awarded scholarships to further their studies in higher education institutions in the country.

 The problem of violence against women and girls is not restricted to the Ejagham—it is common among the Cameroonian population in the entire Southwest and Northwest as well. Combined with both a lack of knowledge of and poor enforcement of women’s rights, Cameroonian women and girls have little legal, medical, or educational recourse with regards to gender-based violence. 

Thus, ABEMO runs the legal education and sensitizations services in the local communities in Southwest, providing free legal assistance to victims and training community individuals and groups on GBV issues. 

The program targets women and girls in Southwest and in the region around Ejagham settlements. 

The project also covers urban populations in Buea, Limbe, Tiko, Ekona, Meanja, Mamfe and Kumba towns and the villages - and rurally-based populations in the districts surrounding Eyumojock sub division and the some plantation camps in Fako division .

 By increasing education about GBV and women’s rights in general, the program indirectly benefits the entire population of these areas, not just women and girls. 2005 / 06 activities were dedicated largely to sensitization, referral network, broadcast of radio messages, trainings, as well as provision of response and psychosocial services.

 Women in the rural communities face the greatest challenge in being unable to participate in economic life. This has rendered them low self-respect and social dignity. Since inception ABEMO has been taking appropriate measures to equip them to attain their rightful places in the development process. 

This Programme enables women to come out of their homes, organize with other women, establish their non-formal sector work into viable economic ventures, obtain grants, earn incomes, support their families, become more independent and participate in a world broader than their homes. Activities involved: Training on how to manage small-scale home businesses, keep financial records and save money. 

Women in some settlements were trained on how to produce articles and home made goods for income as well as other skills in records keeping and savings.

 The project’s objectives included the following: 

Women increasingly explore better agricultural practices, improved family nutrition and increased crop harvest for families. Target communities were Wotutu, Ekona, Bolifamba, Kembong and Malende. Activities carried out were: plantlets and plantains mini-sets multiplication, how to make a simple propagator, how to make local pesticides, distribution of improve maize seeds and water melon seeds to farmers, Pests and disease control methods, environmental awareness and climate change.

 To promote the dignity and humanity of students and community members living in the forest region of Cameroon, ABEMO is providing HIV/AIDS prevention for vulnerable youth and community members. 

ABEMO’s target population included the community population in the Eyumojock region, as well as urban students and community members in Manyu, Meme and Fako divisions. HIV activities reached the entire rural population in Kembong, Ajah, Ewelle, Afap, Ogomoko, and Eyumojock town, totaling approximately 10,000 students and community members. 

The program’s primary concern is community youth (12-25 years of age) in the settlements, who represent approximately 28% of the population. Out-of-school youths are reached in their places of work, at home, and in Off Licenses where youth regularly gather. Peer Liaisons also targeted religious and traditional leaders, and medical health professionals. Over the course the years, youth attendance at ABEMO organized health talks, video shows, and sensitizations were over 20,000 individuals and 30 peer educators formed over 100 peer groups. Activities carried out within this period embraced; peer education, Behavior Change and Communication (BCC), community trainings, and activities with health centers conducted by medical trainer. Transport facilities for Women Six (6) female motor bike riders were trained. This activity followed the donation of six moto bikes to women’s groups in the communities. Bikes are used for the following activities in the community of the recipient and it’s environed:

 • FGM eradication campaign in rural inaccessible communities

 • HIV/AIDS sensitization & education campaign 

• Delivery and monitoring of micro credit scheme and materials 

• Delivery support materials to girls under the scholarship Programme 

• Convey women and children to health care centers and market 

• Information messages of climate change

 Capacity building seminars are intended to provide members with specific skills that they require to effectively implement their goals and become more visible in the community. 

Members are provided with capacities in organizational dynamics, fundraising strategies, and how to develop log frames. National Conference With international working experience in humanitarian work, ABEMO members also participate in national and International conferences and seminars and also organized regional seminars and workshops. 

These workshops were attended by over 5000 women from both the Southwest and Northwest provinces. In 2018 three ABEMO members had opportunities to attend capacity building and training workshops on Monitoring, Documenting Human Rights Violations in Cameroon, Limbe Organized by Canadian High Commission and AFRICAphonie. Sixty (60) participants were present Networking. ABEMO always strives to get local partners, in 2018 ABEMO became a member of a Coalition of Women’s organization (SNWOT) in the South West and North West region whose main objective is to work to restore peace in Cameroon with a membership of over 100 women. ABEMO took part in the Lamentation for peace in Cameroon. ABEMO was also part of a workshop organised by National Endowment for Democracy USA in Buea- Cameroon in 2018. TRAINING ON PEACE BUILDING AND CONFLICT ANALYSIS ABEMO was part of a workshop on Peace Building that took place in Douala- Littoral in 2019. 

With Efforts to end violence, address trauma, consequences, displacement and root causes of the crisis in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon. Topics discussed include amongst others; Different Approaches to Peace building Conflict Management: Mainly to manage and contain conflict violence Conflict resolution: Resolve contradictions in a conflict setting Conflict Transformation: It is a long-term major which addresses root causes and deals with the structural, cultural and personal aspects of conflict. 45 persons attended the workshop. 

On- Site Visits 

ABEMO Monitoring and Evaluation team usually makes on-site visits to evaluate the progress, participation and results of projects, HIV / AIDS, FGM / legal and Micro credit programs. ABEMO policy directs the organization to always visit on-going programs.

Ongoing and future activities

Gender Based Violence Prevention, 

Organize workshops on climate change and women’s rights. 

 Sensitize communities on the importance of Basic Education 

 Health and sanitation programs in the communities. 

 Conflicts resolution and peacebuilding. 

 Net working