Douala-based Lawyer, advocate and human rights activist Barrister Mbah Irene Engonwei is renowned for her entrepreneurial drive which earned her membership into the biggest national association of business women in Cameroon, Groupement des Femmes D’Affaires du Cameroun (GFAC).
With a passion for change and empowerment, the mother of three has been guest and major speaker in many conferences and seminars and currently owns two of the biggest cosmetics brands in Africa; Glutathione Paris and Glutathione USA.
Barrister Mbah Irene who doubles as the President and Founder of the NGO Mother Of All Nations (MOAN), is also renowned for her charitable and humanitarian activities which have earned her the title of ‘Queen Mother.’
With “Charity begins at home” as her watchword, some of her key projects include the donation of portable water to her entire village, and a “Back to school” project for 500 refugees and Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs in 2018 in collaboration with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and Plan International.
“My objectives is to spread the practical love of God by advocating and fighting for the oppressed, less privileged, voiceless, rejected and discriminated persons in society” she says. This she adds, will promote her cause which is to “give lasting solutions to remote and vulnerable communities to satisfy people in a larger and wider scope while planting durable impacts.”
These actions and several other activities have earned her and her organisation many recognitions and awards; the most recent being the prestigious Best NGO in Cameroon 2019 award from the Ministry of Arts and Culture.
Her source:
“A voice spoke one evening when I was studying the word of God” you will become the Mother Of All Nations … and immediately I obeyed the voice of God. My engagement in humanitarian and community service is in obedience to the voice of God” she explained her source of inspiration.
“The successful pursuit of humanitarian intervention and relief gives me a feeling of triumph which is immensely satisfying and is a legacy I’m building” she told MMI.
An ideal world for her Barrister Mbah Irene says would be one where God is the world; everything, everywhere and at all times; a world where the objectives of MOAN are planted in all continents and countries and every human being practices true love.
With one of her key interest areas being the girl child, she believes they should embrace education as well as stay enlightened on their fundamental rights, self worth and value.
“I speak to the daughters of the soil of this nation Cameroon to dream big and push harder. Like I always tell them, ‘if you see it in your mind, hold it in your hand and go get it” she notes.
The Government on its part she notes needs to prioritize girls’ education. They are the pillars and drivers of this Nation.
“The Government should enact a policy on re-entry for the many child mothers who are left hopeless and continue to languish in poverty” the award winning humanitarian lawyer says.
“Government need to work to teach work-readiness in schools, to create better access for young people to small business micro-finance and to appropriate technical training and apprenticeships” she believes.
What next?
The Barrister says MOAN currently has a series of key activities lined up to better the lives of youths. These include a campaign for youth employment; and a No To Prostitution project for IDP Girls from North West and South West Regions of Cameroon.
Contact details;
Email: motherofallnations@yahoo.com
Tel: +237 696905086
Facebook: Mother Of All Nations
Instagram: motherofallnations__org
Twitter: Mother of All Nations
Website: www.motherofallnation.org
Mimi Mefo Info is profiling outstanding Cameroonian women whose philanthropic actions have touched several lives in Cameroon and beyond. Stay glued for more.
