Meet Mbanwie Queenbelle who is farming to raise money to pursue a nursing career

One day, she encountered a situation where a pregnant woman who had ignored the nurse’s advice had a complicated birth that led to her demise, but the child luckily survived.

“The woman in question was given an appointment to do echography, but she did not, owing to a lack of means. But when the time for delivery came, something happened. She was operated on, but she lost her life while the baby survived,” explained Mbanwie.

Since then, 24-year-old Mbanwie has become very sympathetic to pregnant women and wishes to become a midwife.

“Most often, when I see women who lose their lives in the process of giving birth, I feel so bad, and I always cry,” she said.

“I want to become a midwife to help save lives,” she added.

So, after three years in the hospital, she left, but that did not mean the end of the road for her, considering she was learning in the hospital without any nursing experience.

Since then, Mbanwie has decided that she will work and raise money so that she can educate herself to acquire an advanced-level certificate and a degree in nursing.

But to achieve that, she has to engage in farming to raise funds for her nursing career. Farming has always been a passion while growing up in the village, Mbanwie told MMI. 

Farming becomes new passion

In the Economic Capital, Douala, Mbanwie rents farms there and even in Mutengene in the Southwest, to farm cassava, plantains, and other crops.

She says she does so with pride because she has a sense of direction.

“One thing I love about farming is the fact that it has helped me greatly in fighting against hunger and I spend less on foodstuffs,” she tells MMI in an interview.

She does not hide from what puts food on her table. For that, she is loved by her followers on social media platforms like Facebook. 

Today, while farming to raise money for her education, Mbanwie has not forgotten the life hurdles of her primary school days. 

“I remember closing from school and rushing to go help my grandma on the farm. It was tough, but it taught me the value of dedication and hard work,” she says.

Despite the hurdles that come with being an independent woman, she believes that her dreams will come true. She wants to farm and educate herself, and she hopes to one day own a hospital to save lives.

Sad, lonely moments

Online, Mbanwie is holding up and trying to be strong. When talking to MMI, she was composed and laughed with joy.

But behind that smiley moment lies a deep and sad moment of life she is trying to forget.

Mbanwie Queen grew up in Batibo with her grandma, whom she thought was her biological mother, until the age of 7.

That was when she was told that her mother died after giving birth to her.

She was very young; she did not know what that meant until she came of age and started understanding what it meant not to have a mother.

The vacuum already left by her mom further deepened in 2014, a few months before she wrote her Ordinary Lever General Certificate of Education.

Her grandma, whom she loved so much, passed away. Then, at the age of 17, life became very challenging for her.

The backstory!

In 2015, a woman in Douala expressed an interest in looking for a girl to help her in the hospital. That is how Mbanwie found herself in Douala, where she did nursing practically. 

Not having theoretical knowledge, she is into farming, hoping that she will get money and educate herself.

“Aside from farming, I’m a business lady. I sell bedding, household equipment, and cosmetic products.”

But cultivating crops like cassava, maize, and plantains is all she is known for.

Life, she says, is very challenging. Being the lone child of her parents makes her lonely sometimes, a time to reflect deeply on what she wants to do, not only for her own good but for the good of the community.

She has become a force to be reckoned with online, and many love that she farms, and she is proud of it.

“Most often, I received derogatory words from my fellow girls. They think I’m posting to show off or that I have a hidden agenda (looking for a husband). However, I didn’t allow the critics (misconceptions) to get at me. That’s why I’m where I am today.” She tells MMI.

She is hoping to go back to school in the upcoming 2024–2025 academic year to reach her advanced level.

Mimi Mefo Info