GIRLS speak Up: "We too have dreams and desires"

20 girls from three secondary schools speak outon the UN International Day of the Girl Child in Cameroon

 “Society today, careless about girls’ existence: Theythink girls have little or nothing important to say. Little do people know, we (the girls) also have dreams, and desire to make life better for all”, says Nancy Mafor, a 24year old WFAC Volunteer.

Yesterday, October 11, a colleague and I, all volunteers for Women For A Change, Cameroon (WFAC), embarked on a three hours journey to two different schools: Summerset Bilingual College, St Therese and GSS Bafanji (via phone). Where we spoke to over 20 girls about The International Day of the Girl Child; asking them to share their fears, dreams, desires and vision for a future they want. 

“This was my first time participating at the International Day of Girl Child. In fact, it was my first time hearing of such a day. And I took it as a privilege to be given the opportunity to engage my girls’ peers in conversation on issues that affects our lives, so together we voiced out our concern, so the whole world can know we too have dreams and desires”.Victorine –Julliet, a 15 year old WFAC Volunteer schooling at Summerset Bilingual College. 

School Girls speak out their FEARS.  One which, if addressed, they believed it will enable them lives a fulfilling and happy life!

Many shared fear for not going to school due to poverty, unemployment, insecurity, and been given in for marriage against their will…

“My parents have decided to give me up for marriage at my young age. I am only 14 and not ready for marriage. And I don’t want to disappoint my parents”IrelineMercy, Cameroon.

“I fear that I might not be able to complete my secondary education due to the fact that my parents can’t afford my school fees.”Ando Regina, 17yrsold Buea, Cameroon.

“Looking at the low level of insecurity around my community gives me fear.”Asong Karine, 17yrs old.

“I have a great dream but I fear I might not be able to attain it because I lack someone to support my studies.”Pelagie Suilaka, 17yrs old.

“I fear for the insecurity around my school and community.”Paola Gobina, 17yrs old.

“When I look at where I am coming from and my family situation, I wonder if my dreams will actually come true one day.”Annicette Berinyuy,16yrs old

“Considering the fact that I am not the only child, my parents are sponsoring to school and seeing how poor my family gets each year gives me fear and that they won’t be able to sponsor”NjimouVictorine, 16yrs old

“The rate at which school fees increases yearly, I fear if my parents will be able to continue to afford the high school fees for my studies.”Oben Rima, 14yrs old

“When I look at the level of unemployment in my country today I fear that I might have a certificate without any value.”Fatima Rodriguez, 17yrsold.

“There are so many deceivers around this community of mine these days, I fear I might be deceived and I donot want to. I need guidance.TrulySei, 14yrs old.

The Girls Dreams

“I dream of becoming a nurse so that I can be able to help others health wised.” 15yrs old, Dianne Nsanne.

 “I dream of becoming a journalist so that I can be able to report about things that are happening around especially in remote areas.”14yrs old,Truly Sei.

“I dream of becoming an ambassador”17yrs old, Fatima Rodriguez.

“I want to be a lawyer.”14yrs old, Oben Rima.

“My dream is to go to school and become a lawyer.”16yrs old, NjimouVictorine.

“I really want to become an artist and a model.”16yrs old, AnnicetteBerinyuy.

“I will love to become a popular actress and be a TV presenter.”17yrsold, Pelagie Suilaka.

“I want to be a teacher so that I can be able to invest in the lives of others through education.”17yrs old, Ando Regina.

“I dream of having a successful education and become someone useful in this society of ours.”17yrs old, Asong Karine.

“My dream is for a perfect world”17yrs old, Paola Gobina.

Girls Demand for Better Life

“There should be school with considerable fees which could be affordable by the middle and low class stature of people.”Dianne Nsanne, 15yrs old.

“Studying facilities such as text books and others accompanied with affordable prices be made available and affordable. These would help those of us from little income [poor] homes able to afford and study also like others.”17yrs old, Ando Regina.

“Schools should be able to give scholarships to encourage at least the poor to go to school.”17yrs old Pelagie Suilaka.

“There should be more social activists who can stand as mentors to young girls like us and encourage us.”16yrs old,Annicette Berinyuy.

“There should be an improvement on the level of security for example; more street lights in remote areas.”17yrs old, Paola Gobina.

“A decrease in the level of taxation would serve as an incentive to wok and saving. Through this some self employed parents of ours would have enough available funds to support us in school.”16yrs old, FatimaRodriguez.

“Set up of more factories and companies would give a handful reduction in unemployment and motivate us educationally wised.”16yrs old, Njimou Victorine.

“If some of the social NGOs for example could visit schools and give advises to students on some life issues and challenges, some of our fears can be overcome.”14yrs old, Truly Sei.

The FUTURE GIRLS’ WANT

“I dream of a better future for all. I want to see change in our country.” 

“I hope to see less beggars, more psychiatric homes to avoid mentally and not alright people in the streets; and developments.” 17yrs old, PaolaGobina.

“I want to see a develop Cameroon in the future with cheap education.”16yrs old, Njimou Victorine.

“I want to see a society with little or no corruption so that some people would not have advantages over others.”15yrs old, Dianne Nsanne.

“I want to see my community in fact my country develop like any other developed country.”17yrs old, Fatima Rodriguez.

“I am hoping to see a beautiful society in the future and a more developed world.”17yrs old,Asong Karine.

“The issue of tribalism and bribery around my community is getting stronger by the day. I hope to see a futurewith no tribalism, no discrimination and bribery”.Dianne Nsanne, 15yrs old.

“Some of us have great dreams but our parents won’t see it. They want us married and we have no voice to challenge.”  Ireline Mercy, 15 years old.

 Written by Nancy Mafor, WFAC's Intern

Sign Language: My voice, my words and my sword

Girls from Buea School of the Deaf (BSD) tell their stories on how they have found empowerment through sign language.

This year, I awarded prizes to some four girls from Buea School of the Deaf. The awards were based on contestants’ ability to narrate a personal experience where they felt disempowered and how they managed to overcome the challenge[s] and gained empowerment. 

Of all the essays submitted, they all shared that power of communication which they now have, that voice, passion and education empowerment as well as a motherly love which has forever been an inspiration, also stood out so strong in the essays.

Winners of the prizes were: Alison Naomi (winner 1^st Prize); Angela Anyinkeng Abina (winner 2^nd prize); Zipporah Ewenye (winner 3^rd prize) and Mukoko Sandra Namondo (winner 4^th prize).

For the purpose of this article, I have chosen to publish Alison Naomi’s story. In her own words, she tells her story for change; how she overcame the trauma of finding out that she lost the ability to hear and gained empowerment.  

“I became deaf in 2006, I was in primary three.” This is how Alison introduces her essay: “The whole thing started with a fever and my mum took me to the hospital. We stayed there for several days, and returned. 

One day that was in the early morning I just realized that I couldn’t hear. When I tuned on the TV, yet couldn’t hear a thing. At first, I didn’t take it so seriously.  I felt like it was a trick – though I saw people talking but I couldn’t hear them. That same day, I remember taking a walk on the street and yet, I couldn’t hear a noise. Once my mum realized that I couldn’t hear, she took me to the hospital. The doctor did some test on me and found out that I was deaf and couldn’t hear. When my mum shared the news with me, I was depressed, traumatized and stressed.

I wiped and wiped. My mum also joined me to wipe.  

Each day, I will asked myself; “Who am I?” “Why am I so helpless?” and each time, I think of my situation I shade tears.  I tried to accept my fate but couldn’t. I even struggled with myself to ignore my situation and to forget who I was; still, it wasn’t that easy.

In school, during break time, my friends will join me in crying – they too couldn’t believe I will never hear their voice. One day as I was crying, my teacher called me – she tried to advise me, not to worry so much. She made me understand that I am not the only deaf person on this planet. That I can still be whatever I want to be – regardless of my hearing impairment. She told me to be brave. I kept her advice though I still felt like isolating myself from all of the hearing people. I wanted to be somewhere lonely. I even asked my peers if there knew of any lonely world where I can go there – but none could give me a satisfactory answer. 

Time passed and things changed. I started appreciating myself. Liking who I am. And whenever, my mum would burst into tears, I would tell her not to worry. That I am fine and I feel able to do anything, a human being can do. For instance, I made her to understand that I could lip-read and communicate with hearing people, I can dance, I can even sing like any other person – (and by the way, I enjoy dancing. I can dance all day).

I made my mum understand that I am FINE! So crying wouldn’t help – I recollected my teacher’s advice to my mum: Be Brave and be proud! When I told my mum these-she was so impressed at me. She smiled so loud and hugged me. She even promised me that she won’t cry anymore. But for sure, I know no word can stop a mother’s tear, no word can express a mother’s pain nor heal a mother’s broken heart”

All that time, I was still in the normal hearing school – it wasn’t easy to get myself fully integrated but I tried to study and understand what our teachers were teaching.  One day, a teacher advised my mum to take me to one deaf school, and that was Buea School for the Deaf (BSD) and that there; they will teach me how to communicate in sign language. 

The moment, I entered the campus of BSD; I noticed that everybody was a deaf. I couldn’t believe that I was seeing many people other than myself, deaf. I was happy to see them all – boys and girls of my age – from that moment; I knew that was a home for me. I knew I had found my sisters and brothers who can understand my pain and share with me.  I could also tell that my future was secure and safe. Now, I can follow my dreams.

While at BSD, I was taught how to communicate with sign language. I was also taught the general education which every hearing child is been taught. And in addition, I was taught my own first language – sign language. 

Years after, I wrote my First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC) and I passed. Now I am in form four, next year, I will be writing my O’L GCE. And I pray that very soon, there should be a college, university for the deaf in Cameroon or some sort of scholarship programs for us to advance our education.”