They met at a forum in Kumba recently to pledge their determination to eradicate rural poverty by improving food security.

Educating women on enhancing agriculture and rural development was the main focus of a forum that brought women from all walks of life and social groups in Kumba. Facilitated by Egbeabunaw Minette Epouse Mbiayamba, the workshop had as theme “Rural Women Enhancing Agricultural and Rural Development, Gender Rights and Growth, Improving Food Security and Eradicating Rural Poverty”.

The Chief Executive Officer, CEO of The Cameroon Association for the Protection of Education of the Child (CAPEC), Collette Bekaku, explained that rural women comprise more than one quarter of the total world population and live below the poverty. In Cameroon, these women are very instrumental in managing positively and negatively the rural environment to create farms, fetch water, fuel wood to satisfy the needs of each household. Despite their everyday struggle, they are still unable to meet up with basic needs, reason why the forum was organised to train women on ways and methods of improving food security and eradicate rural poverty. The empowerment of women has a key role to play in sustainable development,” the CEO noted.

The District Medical Officer (DMO) of Kumba, Dr. Mbamulu, created awareness on Hepatitis. He said the hepatitis B virus leads to the swelling of the liver. The signs and symptoms of the disease are; yellowing of the skin, fever, tiredness, white urine, pale stools, among others. He cautioned them on the need to take on vaccines to prevent the virus.