When it is summer holidays, it’s a time for so many activities. During the just ended summer holidays, it was once again a time for students from universities and other higher educational institutes to scout for internship placements. This year, the University of Buea dispatched six beautiful, talented, young ladies to work with the organization for a month. Two of these interns were later on sent to ASYOUSED (Assembly for Youths for Sustainable Environmental Development), one of OGCEYOD Cameroon’s partner organizations, to work with them. The essence of this was to create opportunities for the interns to work with different organizations under different leadership and environments.
These ladies were all third year students from the Department of Women and Gender Studies. This is a double major degree program where students can major in one of the following: Gender/ Law, Gender/ Journalism and Mass Communication, Gender/Sociology and Anthropology, Gender/Banking and Finance or Gender/Economics and Management. The Director of OGCEYOD Cameroon Mr. Elvis Wepngong, welcomed its new interns and placed them under the direct supervision of its project Manager Mr. Asaah Gideon who took them through a roundtable seminar where they were briefed on their forth coming activities with the organization. Rush hour - That saying is typical of an early morning description of OGCEYOD Cameroon. It’s indeed a beautiful sight to observe administrators, partners, volunteers and interns all focused on their different activities.
Not only has the organization been receiving international volunteers and interns from the University of Buea, the Ministry of Social Affairs on its part also dispatched three beautiful and talented young ladies to work with the organization as interns. It is inspiring to see the interns from the University of Buea drilling the interns from the Social Affairs on the techniques of public speaking. Together, all interns and volunteers received a team building training from the Director Mr. Elvis Wepngong. Furthermore, they took part in a four day training work shop for youths. They all did a fantastic presentation. This explains why one of the organizers Mrs. Mokube acknowledged in her last speech:”…we, the organizers, are satisfied with the presentations…”
The interns have also been going out to the field to prepare the upcoming environmental project Nurture Youths to Grow Environmentally Friendly for Sustainable Development that OGCEYOD Cameroon will carry out in primary schools in the Limbe municipality. The director of OGCEYOD Cameroon organized an entertainment spree for all staff (interns and volunteers inclusive) and friends of the organization. This activity was to network, build team spirit and last but not least to simply have a good time together. They also took part in the seminar organized by OGCEYOD/ASYOUSED. The seminar took place at the Women’s empowerment center, Limbe. The seminar was about the role of Moslem Women in decision making. It was a medium to sensitize these women on their role in their families and their communities. The interns from OGCEYOD Cameroon made a presentation on the reproductive rights of women, during this; they made a presentation on the use of the female condoms. To mark an end to their internship program, the interns and administration of OGCEYOD Cameroon together conceived a project aimed at educating commercial sex workers of the Limbe Municipality on the importance and use of the female condom. Leading the Delegation, Chief Executive Director and Projects Director Mr. Elvis Wepngong and Asaah Gideon took two different teams to the Church Street area.
It was 10 pm when the team started moving to doors, streets, bars and junctions inviting young girls to attend a workshop on the use of the female condom. The activity was done twice that week and the contact numbers of some of the ladies were taken to facilitate communication. It was indeed a difficult task for every one because some of these ladies were not receptive, especially to their fellow girls. Their areas of influence were a prohibited zone for other girls whom they viewed as rivals. But OGCEYOD Cameroon’s strategy was to give the lead to the two males, who were accepted because of their gender and then let the rest of the crew follow. The workshop had the dual purpose of educating the sex workers on how to use the female condom which is a life jacket in their profession and also to find out from them what descent jobs they can do. From the feedbacks, poverty played a great role in shaping the destiny for many a great woman. It is true that we all make our choices in life but it is also relevant to understand that the choices we make in life are influenced by the circumstances in which we find our selves at the time. They expressed their profound desire to quit the job and take onto something less demeaning to their person and womanhood. At the end of the day the workshop did not turn out as well as the OGCEYOD Cameroon staff had hoped for. Some of the ladies did not attend the workshop as they promised. Just few of them who attended showed serious interest in learning about the female condom and new job opportunities.
One big challenge for Non Governmental Organizations like OGCEYOD Cameroon is that we build on the cooperation of the people whom we work with. Nevertheless we still consider the workshop as a success, because we got the possibility of changing the life of a few women for the better.
The management of OGCEYOD Cameroon is at the moment scouting for funds to set up descent business ventures for them. Another achievement was to integrate these women into the family of OGCEYOD Cameroon and together we celebrated the farewell of our interns and they were told to feel free to come to our office when ever they were in need. Our interns enjoyed working with us a lot and two of them even stayed back until school resumed.”I just enjoy working and I also like the fact, that OGCEYOD Cameroon helps vulnerable children and doesn’t care about making profit.” explains Ndive Florence, one of the interns who decided to stay back. Her and Mbiatem Franchette were helping hands in the office and made a big impact on OGCEYOD Cameroons’ work. The office staff will miss them when schools resume
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