Cameroon: CHRDA is providing sustainable livelihood Humanitarian response to victims of armed conflict in the North West and South West Region
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The Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa (CHRDA) is an independent NGO with its headquarters in Buea-Cameroon, the Centre has graduated its first batch of IDPs in its empowerment centre. The event took place on 23 April 2 in the presence of national and international dignitaries. As indicated on their website, this Empowerment Centre was launched in 2019 “the Empowerment Centre was launched in December 2019 with the objective of empowering IDPs and the underprivileged with livelihood skills for sustainable living.”
Though launched in 2019, the empowerment centre went operational in January 2020 “The Centre went operational in January 2020, with 15 (10 females and 5 males) registered IDPs as trainees. Talented and well-known trainers were recruited to train the IDPS in dressmaking and fashion designing. After 15 months of intense training and being very impressed with their output, we decided to graduate this set of trainees today so we can take in a new batch. With skills in dressmaking and fashion designing, these graduands are ready to enter the job market as entrepreneurs and job creators.”
As stated by CHRDA, “They will be able to meet up the financial demands of life, especially within the context of the ongoing crisis in the English Speaking Regions of Cameroon. Our desire is to increase the number of trainees for the second batch.”
Barrister Agbor Nkongho, the president of CHRDA maintained that CHRDA will continue to contribute to the promotion and protection of human rights and democracy in one way or the other. In his address, he noted that CHRDA will continue to provides both immediate and sustainable livelihood humanitarian response to the underprivileged and victims of conflicts. The president of CHRDA also reiterated that Civil Society Organisations around the world should lay more emphasis on the provision of Sustainable Livelihood assistance to the underprivileged.
Fabrics from the Centre were also displayed during the graduation ceremony, “the graduands displayed their handwork to the public through a fashion parade and exhibition of some products to the audience. Certificates were handed to them following the end of course evaluation which took place on 9 April 2021. According to the Chairperson of the ceremony His Excellency Ibrahim Mohammed Bashir, the Nigerian Consul to the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon, the provision of sustainable livelihood support to victims of the ongoing armed conflict in the North West and South West Regions is crucial”
The Regional Director of UNESCO for Central Africa Mr Salah Khaled, confirmed his support to CHRDA for its marvellous contributions to the promotion and protection of Human Rights. Speaking at the event, the Regional Director of UNESCO expressed that he will be supporting the Empowerment Centre
The representative of the UN Human Rights Centre in Central Africa MR. Kiven Frank remarked that the CHRDA Empowerment Centre will stand out with support from the public. While reiterating on the issue of collaboration, Mr Kiven encourages the public to support these IDPs by buying products designed and sewed in the Centre.
CHRDA was also facing some challenges during the training period “the journey has not been completely smooth for CHRDA throughout the training period. We faced some challenges including financial support to IDPs for their daily upkeep. In attendance of the Nigerian Consul General to the North West and South-West regions of Cameroon, the Regional Director of UNESCO for Central Africa, the representative of the UN Human Rights Centre in Central Africa, head of OIC, South West Regional Youth President, staff, trainees and guests who honoured our invitation, the Executive Director of the CHRDA, Dr Violet Fokum, Highlighted some challenges including, difficulties in accommodating teenage mother’s as there are no facilities for a creche, limited transportation allowances and daily upkeep of the trainees. Out of the 15 recruited trainees, we succeeded to certified six (6) persons after fifteen Months of intense training.”
Berinyuy Cajetan is the founder and publisher of Human Rights and Legal Research Centre (HRLRC) since 2017. He has intensive experience in strategic communications for Civil Society Organizations, campaign and advocacy, and social issues. He has an intensive experiencing in human rights monitoring, documentation and reporting.
