ABEMO Cameroon - Activities

As part of the global campaign ’16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence’  ABEMO together with other women's group leaders joined their voices today in Lower Bokova (mile 15) to raise their voices and take a stand against gender based violence affecting women and girls in their communities. Women assembled at a community space in their neighborhood and after a word of prayer by MaNdip Etta,  a brief presentation of ABEMO  was done by Ma Mac Ojong Bilgah. Presentation was done by Ma Etengeneng Arrey followed by a questions and answers session and sharing of experiences. The women appreciated ABEMO for taking time and braving it to come to their community  and planned to work towards ending gender based violence in their communities.

1. Civic Education on the Eradication of Female Genital Mutilation
With the Goal to build a general consensus in community on the eradication of FGM. The programme involves sensitization meetings, workshops, community advocacy and mentoring.

2. Conflict Resolution Workshops
To help female leaders to better identify and understand conflict, resolve conflicts and establish a climate of cooperation in the families, groups and communities, ABEMO trained 40 women's group leaders in the Southwest province of Cameroon.

3. Girls' Access to Basic Education
The aim of this activity is to increase girls' access to basic education.

4. HIV / AIDS Prevention for Prostitutes
This programme is aimed at reducing the HIV infection rate amongst sex workers and has the following as objectives; Provide reliable information to female sex workers in relation to what is known about HIV infection and to enable them deal with the uncertainty concerning what is not known; Offer opportunities for sex workers to explore their feelings, attitude and values in relation to the many different and emotive issues raised by HIV infections; Equip them with the skills they need to apply this information and the insight to their own lives and to the situations that would influence their lives; and Train Sex Workers to serve as AIDS educators in HIV Prevention.

5. Micro Credit Scheme for women
This programme enables women to come out of their homes, organise 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 home

6. HIV / AIDS Education in communities and schools
The programme was being carried out in two phases:
Phase I: Creation of AIDS clubs in schools.
Phase II: HIV / AIDS awareness in primary schools and communities.

7. Capacity Building / Institutional Strengthening
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.