WOMANHOOD CELEBRATED: ARCHBISHOP EQUIPS 38 WOMEN GROUPS WITH MACHINES

By Mildred Ndum Wung Kum

Picture: quipments offered to women

Thirty eight women groups received machines from Andrew Fuanya Nkea, Archbishop of Bamenda in a ceremony dubbed “day for women with the Archbishop” organised by the Catholic Church, Bamenda Archdiocese. Thousands of women across different backgrounds and denominations gathered at the Bamenda St Joseph’s Metropolitan Cathedral, March 3rd 2021 for Mass during which farm and food processing tools were handed to them.

They include oil mills, cassava mills, hoes, cutlasses, fertilisers, spray bottles, boots and trolleys among others. Handing these gifts to the beneficiaries, Archbishop Nkea said the purpose is to assist them in their livelihood adding that his eyes have seen the work and output of women in crop cultivation, food processing and food transformation. The prelate celebrated the gift of womanhood hailing women for being motherly, for their commitment in the church and for consecrated virgins who have offered themselves for the sake of God’s kingdom. He prayed and blessed the women.

       Photo: His Grace Andrew Nkea

In a special intention women who are childless, sick, suffering, marginalised and those being victims of violence were entrusted to God.

A march past, choral singing and traditional dance at the St Joseph’s Centenary Piazza featured at the celebration during which women brandished peace plants, white hankerchiefs and rosaries.

As they departed, they were tasked by the Archbishop to contribute in conflict resolution and peace building “They should not stay quite. They should go and talk to their children especially the ones who are fighting in the bushes, talk to their children who are soldiers, talk to their children who are administrators talk to their husbands that we want peace and that this peace we are hungry for must come back to our soceity”.

Women at the celebration were merry expressing their wish for many more celebrations of its magnitude. Talking to Cameroon Infotrend, senator Regina Mundi who was part of the celebration said “I would have to go back and talk more. I have been talking but I would go and increase my voice by talking to anybody who wants to listen from the top to the bottom that we want peace”

Senator Regina Mundi

“It was a wonderful day and at the end of it the Archbishop crowned it with his generous gifts. The women came and didn’t know they would go back with loads of things. It was a day full of fulfilment. ” Senator Regina Mundi expressed her satisfaction. To the organisers of the event, it was a success. Mrs Tanyi one of organisers and Bamenda Archdiocesan Laity council president also rated the event on a positive note. “I was expecting two thousand women but yesterday I saw a crowd of three thousand. In the morning there were some gunshots around Mbengwi road but all the women came. It was a wonderful day and at the end of it the Archbishop crowned it with his generous gifts. The women came and didn’t know they would go back with loads of things. It was a day full of fulfilment”

                       Mrs Tanyi Edidth

After the event, women are expected to mediate for peace to return in the Northwest region of  Cameroon where an ongoing socio political crisis has left the land restive with occasional scenes of gun battle and human killing.