Anglophone Crisis: CAWOPEM Supports Kedjom Keku Kidnapped Women With Relief Aid

 

Family Photo With CAWOPEM And Female Survivors In Kedjom Keku (Big Babanki)

By Raymond Dingana 

It was a huge smile that suddenly appeared on the faces of survivors of the recent separatists cruelty on women in Kedjom Keku (Big Babanki), when members of the Cameroon Women Peace Movement, CAWOPEM arrived the crisis hit village in the North West Region of Cameroon.

The atmosphere in Kedjom Keku was not as it were before the recent happenings that saw a huge number of soldiers deployed to the village after the women were molested by armed men. Many have fled, explaining the scanty nature of the village.

Members of CAWOPEM were there to provide Medical and Psychosocial Support to those they christened, Mothers of Big Babanki.

At the village community hall in the Fon's Palace, they were exposed to talking therapy, giving them an opportunity to express how they felt during and after what they went through.

This exercise was managed by Boyo Maurine, a Counselor who said it was a healing process for the women. Many explained the fright and shock they felt while in captivity and how they have been coping with the traumatic experience.

"They said we were all going to die,one of us who wanted to ease herself given that she was pressed was asked to do it where we were being held, they removed our shoes, stretched our feet, brought out whistles and asked us to be singing,"

narrated the women as some of the things they went through.

As indicated by Boyo Maurine, the exercise was needed to facilitate their healing process, one of the things the women needed before any donation of physical items.

One of the ladies whose case was severe given that she was hit by a bullet from the guns fired by the armed men shared how she has been coping,

"I have accepted my fate, i put it in my mind that it was an accident which could have still happened to any other person. I was very much worried when it happened because my baby was just 11 months old. Schools are about to resume and I don't know how my kids will resume because I can't work in the farms again to sponsored them. We also have hospital routen check ups to  pay for."

The Affected Leg

She appreciated her husband for standing by her, carrying her like a baby from one place to the other.

CAWOPEM Donates Food and Non Food Items To Women Survivors In Big Babanki

After the one on one group talks as a way to instill hope and confidence in the women, it was all clear that they were ready to receive the other items that were on the menu.

Bags of rice, sanitary kits, buckets, tablets of soap, financial support amonsgt others are some of the other surprises that the women were spoiled with reason why the joy in them was like pregnancy that could not be hidden anymore.

Among the many beneficiaries who expressed their gratitude to CAWOPEM for coming to put a smile on their faces is Roseline (not her real names).

Members Of CAWOPEM In Kedjom Keku 

We are thanking Cameroon Women Peace Movement for hearing our cry and coming to comfort us. They have seen that a mother is not supposed to cry. We are happy for all what they have given us today, may God replenish the source so they can continue helping the less priviledge,

 she said.

Women Survivors In Kedjom Keku Preach Gospel Of Forgiveness

At a time when many thought the survivors of separatist violence were going to be raining curses, that was not the case as demonstrated by this lady whom we preferred calling her Grace,

"Those children are ours, we have forgiven them, we are calling on them to repent because what they did to their mothers was bad. Children are the walking sticks of tomorrow, we can't abandon them, our prayers are with them,"

 she said.

CAWOPEM Representative Explains Why They Went To Kedjom Keku

As indicated by one of the founding members of the Cameroon Peace Movement, Muma Bih Yvonne, after watching the tear provocking images of the mothers in Kedjom Keku being molested, they could not just stay mute,

"Like a movement, we took pictures and videos of the mothers and did an online campaign comdemning what the children had done to their mothers, grand mothers and sisters. We are here today thanks to the Urgent Action Fund African,

 she said before continuing that,

 they saw the videos, heard our cries and decided to help with all what we provided to the women today. Despite meeting more than the envisaged number, we were still able to satisfy everyone."

Like Oliver Twist, Muma Bih Yvonne said after seeing things for themselves and getting to understand how serious the needs of the people are, they will go back to Urgent Fund Africa for more support.

Muma Bih Yvonne, One Of The founding Members of  CAWOPEM 

On the 19th of May 2023, videos circulated online showing how women were being tortured by those authorities have termed separatist fighters. 

They were protesting against huge levies imposed on them by the armed men only to fall in the hands of the gunmen.

Though they had since been released, the thought of what they went through will take some time to heal.

Nonetheless, with help from Movements like the Cameroon Women Peace Movement, the survivors are sure of enjoying a complete healing some day. 

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