Rural women and youth in Biwong-Bane received special gifts from a delegation of the First Lady’s association over the weekend.

From Ngan-ha in the Adamawa Region to Bangourain in the West Region passing through Bafia in the Centre Region, the solidarity train of the Circle of Friends of Cameroon (CERAC) over the weekend was on a crusade against misery, exclusion, poverty, hunger and illness inspired by its Founding President, First Lady, Mrs Chantal Biya, who is also UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador.

On Saturday, November 28, 2015, it was the turn of Biwong-Bane in the Mvila Division of the South Region who had the privilege to communion with a delegation of CERAC ladies, who had come to offer gifts to rural women and youths in the locality.

The personal representative of the First Lady at the event was Cecile Oyono, vice president of CERAC. The delegation did not just go to Biwong-Bane with diversified gifts for the women and youth, but also with a message from the First Lady.

After Mvangan and Biwong-Bulu all in the South Region in 2011, Cecile Oyono said CERAC went to Biwong-Bane this time with the same mission to preach love, solidarity and sharing amongst Cameroonians.

She reiterated that since 1995, CERAC has been spearheading a solidarity campaign to ensure that problems faced by people have solutions while improving their living conditions. Cecile Oyono told the beneficiaries that the gifts should be used for the general interest of everybody so that their farming method will not only be improved and transformed but that each individual will also contribute to an emerging Cameroon by 2035.

Rural women in the 33 villages that make up the Biwong-Bane community from Melangue South and Melangue North received farming tools for the cultivation, preservation and processing of their farm products.

Some of the farm inputs included corn mills, hoes, cutlasses, engine saws, processing mills, wheel barrows, cartons of fertilizers and imported porcelets.

On behalf of the beneficiaries, Bete Akama in their native dialect thanked Mrs Biya. In the Bulu dialect she said, “Nyia Meyong Abui Akiba Bia ve Mema Chantal Biya.” Bete Akama said they are privileged to receive the gifts and henceforth they will not only conquer poverty but will fully contribute to an emerging Cameroon.

Three youth training centres in the locality received special gifts from the First Lady such as computers, sewing machines and CT phones. Five government Secondary Schools in the locality also received gifts from CERAC amongst which were computers, printers, scanners, dustbins, telephones and DVD readers.

The Divisional Delegates of Women’s Empowerment and the Family, as well as Youth Affairs and Civic Education, took turns to laud the First Lady and CERAC for the timely gifts which will assist all groups of people and make them autonomous thereby alleviating poverty.

Through songs and dance, the population told CERAC women “Akiba” meaning “Thank You”.