Over 30 Adolescent Girls and Women have benefited from a four day workshop aimed at strengthening their capabilities as community relay agents for trauma healing. The workshop was organized by Common Action for Gender Development (COMAGEND) at their conference hall, T_Junction Bamenda.

Sally Mboumien is executive director and founder of COMAGEND Cameroon. She is equally a feminist, peace, social and rights advocate for a girl child’s involvement in political decision making spaces, she sees the 4 days training as a stepping stone for these women and girls.

Sally Mboumien, Executive director and founder, COMAGEND

“There are so many efforts to build peace but there is this lack of internal peace from the population. People are bleeding in your hearts, they are traumatized, they are hurt, they are full of anger and vengeance. So it is behind this thought, that we decided that this is the time to bring 30 adolescent girls and young women from different communities, to be able to teach them to be community relay agents for trauma healing, so that they can go back to their communities and start holding healing sessions” she explained.

The Cameroon Association for Bible Translation and Literacy (CABTAL) partners with COMAGEND Cameroon in mentoring these advocates on techniques and processes to engage other community members in trauma healing.

“One of the workshops we offer is what we call trauma healing workshop and it’s meant to help people who are trying to heal. COMAGEND is one of those organizations helping people who are trying to heal and we thought we could partner and train them so that they can intern train others and help people who are suffering” Bolak Mekwi, Director of church and scripture engagement department CABTAL told Insight244.

The training session ended Friday May 14, with certificates awarded to participants. These trainees admit the training was indeed a stitch in time.

“I want to thank COMAGEND and CABTAL for what I’ve learned here. I have become a trauma healing counselor. I will be able to handle rape and victims of heal them, give them psychological first aid. We are currently running a safe space which is a shelter home and we bring together those who don’t have homes and victims of GBV as well. So with this I’ve learned I will be able to relate with them, I will be able to heal them both internally and externally” Eunice Ngweh a participant from Survivors Network Kumba Cameroon.

“From this trauma healing I felt relieved. Some of the things I thought I had passed by, I actually saw them coming back after the lessons but then I learned to forgive and I also discovered that healing trauma was not all about prayers. I discovered you have to do a lot of communication, a lot of forgiveness, talk to people. In reaching out to the community or parents, I will talk to other leaders, with the schools I work, it will help me pass out the message and see how to make the community a better one ” Mairamu Sauibu a participant from Sapga Youths Development Association explained.

The over 30 grassroot female leaders, were selected from six communities within Mezam_ Northwest region of Cameroon.

With 5years of existence, COMAGEND has impacted over 32 communities, engaging 120 girls as peer educators, over 600 girls in girls club, and over 40,000 Adolescent Girls and Young Women on reproductive rights, education, health, peace building and more.

Nubeh Nai Vonna