Changing
Mentalities and Empowering Groups (CHAMEG) is an Umbrella, Non -
Governmental, Community Based, and Women Centered Organization
initiated in 1994 and made up of ten women's groups. Chameg's main goal
is to enhance the socio - economic, cultural and political situation of
the women in rural areas.
Vision
The creation of communities
where the women are empowered to over come poverty, harmful traditional
practices like female genital mutilation, early girl - child marriages,
refusal to educate the girl child, etc. as well as discrimination
against women.
Mission
The improvement of the living standards of the women through sustainable livelihoods efforts activities.
CURRENT PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES
I) HIV/AIDS SENSITIZATION AND EDUCATION vis a vis:
* Prevention
* Home based care
* Palliative care and
* counseling for voluntary testing
II) ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT:
Chameg
conducts trainings and workshops to instill modern techniques of
farming, food processing and petit trading to enable women engage in
income generating activities thus rendering them employed.
III) MICRO CREDIT:
Accessing
credit to women who over the years have been highly marginalized and
discriminated against is a vital tool that has helped in raising the
self worth and self- esteem of the women in our communities. With our
simple mythology - "Group Solidarity" low interest loans requiring no
material nor property collateral, loans have been accessed to women to
enable them engage in income generating activities.
IV) ADVOCACY / NET WORKING:
Presently, we are launching public talks and campaigns to:
- Fight against the stigmatization and discrimination of people living with HIV/AIDS
- Promote education of the girl child Discourage early and polygamous marriages
- Advocate for inclusion of more women in decision-making positions
- Sensitize and educate women against corrupt practices
- bove all, educate women to take active part in the forth-coming parliamentary and council elections of 2007
ACHIEVEMENTS
- 245
communities mobilized, trained and Local Aids Control Committees formed
to continue sensitization and education of the various committees.
- 5.000 orphans and vulnerable children ( ovcs) identified and documented in Limbe Subdivision
- 500 ovcs and 100 PLWHAs identified and documented in the Mamfe and Eyumojock area
- Educational,
nutritional, medical and psychosocial assistance extended to ovcs and
PLWHAs identified with the assistance from plan and care Cameroon, and
Open Society Initiative for West Africa - OSIWA - DAKAR
- Over
1.500 women have benefited from Chameg's credit scheme with a repayment
rate of over 98%. This scheme is closely supported by the national
employment fund of our country
- 3.248 persons trained (95% women) in the Fako, Meme and Manyu divisions
- 1.500 rural poor, backed by the National Employment Fund - NEF Cameroon
- Several public manifestations, debates, radio talks and exchange visits carried out
- Initiated unit for ICT for the rural woman (temporary, out of order)
FUTURE PLANS
- Equip ICT unit
- Open center to provide nutritional care to orphans and people living with Hiv /Aids
- Acquire transport means to effect home base care and support to people living with Hiv/Aids and their orphans.
CHAMEG's Director, Mrs. Magdeline Agbor, is President of RELUFA's Board of Directors.
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CHAMEG brochure
Women loan money to buy food and consumer goods for resale on markets.
Coastal communities take out loans to replace old nets
...and boats to better fish in the ocean.
Traditional fruit farmers invest loans in their groves and plantations to increase the yields.
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