CHRDA launches empowerment centre for IDPs

The Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa, CHRDA has in a ceremony today officially opened its empowerment centre. Meant for training Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs as a result of the ongoing Anglophone Crisis.

Talking to the Press, CHRDA Executive Director, Barrister Nkongho Felix Agbor explained that the centre comes as part of a broader solution to the plight of IDPs and will enable them eventually gain financial autonomy.

“We have plans that when we train the IDPs, we’ll have to empower them. It’s not just about training them. We will also have to teach them on other aspects like peace building and peace negotiation,” he said.

Chairman and chairlady cut ribbon

With the training set to kick off in 2020, “trainees shall be drawn from all 13 counties of the former Southern Cameroons,” he went on.

To him, “the crisis has divided more than it has united us so we want to bring these women together so we can teach them how to live together and understand that we might be different but we are the same”.

“After the training we hope to retain some of the women to work at the center,” he added.

CHRDA Executive Director addressing the press

Marcelline Hoyle of the Hoyle Foundation, one of the project’s key partners highlighted the most important part is the impact: “Any girl that gets the opportunity to train here is not only being trained but here we intend to train and empower them,” she said, adding that the girls will eventually be set up to start on their own while the center ensures follow up.

Made CHRDA Goodwill Ambassador at the ceremony, the Nigerian Consul General in Buea, Honourable Ibrahim Bashir appreciated the gesture stating that it is in effect teaching the IDPs to fish instead of giving them fish.

CHRDA has among its key goals, the promotion and respect for Human rights and the rule of law as well as democracy and good governance.
Its empowerment centre, CHRDA notes, has a vision to extend training to other skills like computer, designing, farming, and handicrafts, etc.

The center, it should be noted, comes as one of several projects by CHRDA and other organisations to bring care and comfort to some of the hundreds of thousands displaced as a result of the ongoing Anglophone Crisis in Cameroon’s Anglophone regions.