Literacy & Skill Development

The law on education in Cameroon provides that primary education is free and compulsory for all.[1]  It is difficult to say that this law is discriminatory or that it favors men over women. An impediment to this law is that the government and the population overlook the effect of culture on the discriminatory education of children.

Women are considered in some cultures, especially in the North West, West and South West Provinces, and in the Grand North as ‘property for sale’ into marriage. Efforts geared towards educating a girl-child are considered by some parents as costly and a waste of resources: all a girl needs is informal education from her mother to prepare her for marriage and teach her how to keep a home. This has contributed to a relatively high illiteracy rate among women, especially in the rural areas. Some may argue that the situation has changed, but what may have changed nowadays is that girls have a higher enrollment at the lower levels in most primary schools, and this number gradually thins as they go up the education ladder.[1]

Girls either fall pregnant or are asked to stop their educational career when a financial crisis arises.[1] Often a girl is withdrawn from school and sent to stay with a wealthier family member in town and serve as a house-helper with little or no pay. Most of these school drop-outs find themselves in all sorts of informal sector activities, like roasting chicken and fish by road sides, small scale hairdressing, petty trading and  ‘buyam- sellam’. Or hardship might compel a girl to engage in sexual activity that exposes her to more babies or HIV/AIDS infections. All of this account for why most women are illiterate or semi literate and can’t therefore take up responsible positions in the decision making process of the country. 

Women, who are unable to read, write and speak English and French so they develop a low self esteem and shy away from leadership roles. Society equally refuses to accept these semi literate women as leaders. This situation makes women to be less represented in traditional, political, religious and economic decision making settings. In order to facilitate the inclusion of women in decision making and leadership roles of society, it is imperative to raise their literacy level. Literate women are able to defend and teach others their rights and they will included in the formal sectors of the economy.

The Women Empowerment Institute Cameroon, (WEICAM) that aims at promoting women’s rights and putting more women in decision making roles therefore tackles this problem from its roots.  WEICAM has as target to make 5000 women literate in the North West Province by the end of 2008. WEICAM has started this literacy program and the current enrollment is very encouraging. The women and the community have received with enthusiasm this literacy program. WEICAM will progressively extend the project to other parts of the province and

Victims of HIV/AIDS, orphans and their aging caregivers face a lot of physical and emotional challenges.  This is compounded by the rising prices of basic necessities such as food, medication and access to clean water.  Nascent Solutions has seen the situation deteriorate with orphans and vulnerable children in its target countries during our five years of humanitarian services. An increasing number of children can barely afford one nutritious meal a day.  They are increasingly being left to fend for themselves.  Nascent’s support for these children includes the provision of food aid, educational materials, and clothing.