Douala: Over 25 women leaders from NW, SW drilled on trauma healing.

It was focused on healing trauma. The seminar was chaired by the Littoral Regional Delegate of Women’s Empowerment and the Family, Gisèle Ekoh.

In her opening speech, the delegate told participants that, despite their various experiences, they should always be mindful of their safety. 

She added that the Douala training organised by Search for Common Ground was a stitch in time.

Women-led organisations are said to have had several traumatic experiences that have negatively affected their wellbeing in line of their duty.

With a worldwide mission to transform the way the world deals with conflict, away from confrontational approaches and toward cooperative solutions, Tatiana Lobè, country representative for Search for Common Ground, insisted that, the situation in the North West and South West regions is a cause for concern.

She said the Douala workshop was designed for women victims of trauma and violence from the two regions of the country with the aim of equipping them with first aid lessons and victim care.

Tatiana Lobe noted that "trauma" is a set of mental disorder that can be attributed to a harmful physical or psychological action. 

Among the causes of trauma, she said, are acts of violence directed against a person or oneself. In Cameroon and particularly in the crisis hit regions, the said cases are commonplace, she stated. 

“This is why we intend to equip the women of who live in permanently crisis zones in order to give them the basics of gender-based management but above all giving them practical tools for first aid to women in distress linked to community conflicts,” Tatiana Lobe said.

She continued that: “our expectations outcome is that women assimilate the concepts of gender-based violence with the aim of providing help to female victims who will come closer to them but above all that they are each able to return to their respective areas and provide this training. The goal is to reduce this gender-based violence and relieve the victims”.

At the end of the training, it was acknowledged by the project manager, Oben Emmanuel that their objectives in Douala had been met

"The objective of this training was first of all to provide trauma healing for these women and give them the skills and competences to provide psychosocial and first aid support in their communities in which these services are most at times absent. I think our objective has been met because during these four days of training we have brought psychological relieve to our partners who work in the crisis affected NWSWRs. We have also molded them to skillfully provide fundamental trauma healing, prevention and management of GBV and HIV cases, first aid and fire management support in their communities. We are confident that these women have been empowered and reenergised to continue creating positive change in their communities," Oben said.

The participants on their part have confirmed the changes in pre conceived idea and willingness to transfer knowledge to their communities.

“This is a good initiative from Search for Common Ground which will help us improve the way we manage crises in our association. The knowledge from this training will enable me to help the disabled women of Bamenda that I represent here. To help them with the trauma, to give first aid which we were unable to master in the public service. My expectation has been met. I can now say I have had understanding of what I can really do in terms of my work in Bamenda in order to improve the living conditions of women with disabilities,” Veronica Ngum Ndi, head of the Community Association for vulnerable Persons, explained.