CAMAB WOMEN EMPOWERS LADIES WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENT FOR FINANCIAL AUTONOMY

CAMAB WOMEN EMPOWER LADIES WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENT FOR FINANCIAL AUTONOMY

By Prince Nsah Edwin in Bamenda.

The Cameroon Association Of Blind Women (CAMAB Women) last Wednesday July Five 2023, embarked on a workshop to train 11 ladies with visual impairments on the weaving of ropes used for the tethering of goats, cattle and other animals, as well as kernel oil production.

This event was hosted at the head office of Hope Social Union for the Visually Impaired (HSUVI) Mile 4 Nkwen Bamenda.

On the rationale behind the workshop, Madam Angonwi Eveline, Executive President of CAMAB Women praised Mrs. Agho Glory for always promoting women with visual impairments and Miss Hilda Bih for partnering with her organization in bringing the workshop to fruition. She further opined that the event was aimed at addressing the challenges of idleness and poverty, while assisting them in income generation.

The ladies with visual impairments had the opportunity to imbibe a presentation by Mr. Nyingcho Samuel, technical adviser of HSUVI and disability inclusion consultant on how best to sustain flourishing businesses.

The ladies equally discussed on strategies to combat Gender Based Violence which was established to be rampant amongst women with visual impairments.

Madam Linda Awah is a lady with visual impairment and a small scale entrepreneur dealing in the sales of boiled eggs and a participant at the workshop. She could not hide her feelings at the end of it all:
“After simultaneously losing both my sight and husband in 2015, I thought it was me against the world. This even weighed down on my health. When however I encountered and joint HSUVI, I realized I was not alone in this and that visual impairment is not a barrier to economic prosperity. Then I picked up my egg business. This workshop has again widened my excitement in expanding my business for greater profit and I am thankful to the organizers of the workshop” Madam Awah averted.

In his opening remarks, the president of HSUVI Mr. Ngong Peter Tonain expressed his excitement at the fact that most if not all beneficiaries to this training were his members. He was grateful for the collaboration between HSUVI and CAMAB Women to boost the autonomy, self-esteem and initiatives of ladies with visual impairments. Mr. Tonain then urged all participants to effectively put to use the skills acquired from the workshop and pledged his organization’s availability whenever and however his organization will be needed by whosoever to improve on the plights of women with disabilities in general and those with visual impairments in particular.

At the end, startup capital was awarded each trainee with a pledge by Madam Yilla Elizabeth, treasurer of CAMAB Women—Women’s Representative of HSUVI and lead facilitator at the workshop, to ensure follow-up and continuous business mentorship for the participants.