ACTWID KONGADZEM was created on September 1st 1989 and was officially registered as a Non Governmental Organization in 1995 by Decree No NW/29/95/1027 in compliance with Law No 92/006 of 14th August 1988 relating to cooperative societies and common initiative groups.
Between 1989 and November 1993, the association operated as a women’s self—help cooperative. Top on their agenda were a kitchen “njangi” and a school fees fund where women were encouraged to participate. Savings made were usually shared in the month of September to enable women prepare their children for school. The kitchen Njangi also assisted women to purchase basic kitchen utensils like pots, dishes and buckets. By 1994, Women had become increasingly aware of their positions, needs and demands. This gave rise to the need for oil scheme projects and the sharing of basic necessities like soap, matches, salt. ACTWID Head office with the aid of the $100 from the Netherlands gave assistance to the women’s groups. This was a form of “Trickle—up” to encourage the women to start up something.
By the year 1996, much had been realized in terms of growth in the women’s groups and demands. A food co-operative store was thus opened at the Head office in Bamenda. This was intended to assist the grass fields women market their products to the general public. Income generated was used to solve problems of unmet needs in the family health, nutrition and education. During that time, membership rose from six (6) founding members on the 1st of September 1989 to about 4000 women, children and youths dotted all over the North-West and Western Regions in 93 registered Common Initiative, clusters and co-operative groups in both rural and urban areas.
Creating Ideas
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Flexible hours
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Working together
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Our Mission, Goals and Challenges
A full 99% of rural women live below the poverty line in our village communities. Coming from polygamous homes in these local communities, we the women of ACTWID KONGADZEM created this NGO on September 1st 1989, as a task force to join hands together as one voice to address the urgent problems we face here as farmers, caregivers, and breadwinners for our families and communities.
The main objective of our organization was created was to reach rural women in particular and strengthen them as agents of change. This is to facilitate the active participation in the planning and implementation of projects.
Others include:
– To foster creativity in all forms of handwork among rural women and youths respecting their own tribal methods and customs.
– To prompt women and youths to realize that the concretization of the concept of “WID” lies in their own hands
– To improve the literacy rate of grassroots women.
– To create awareness in men by lobbying effectively for women’s places to be transferred from the kitchen.
– To encourage and uphold all rich cultures of the tribes concerned.
– Improve lives of PLWHA, IDPs and OVCs.
– Help combat increasing number of street children.
– Ensure constant sensitization and integration of all.
– Fight climate change/environmental issues.
– Support people in becoming active in environmental protection.
– Promote protection, cultivation of medicinal/healing plants.
– Enhance creativity among women/youths and foster development.
– Support people in their self-reliant activities and their determination towards development.
Our Challenges
ACTWID KONGADZEM is a non governmental organization whose work is focused on empowering and supporting venerable groups of people such as orphans and people living with HIV/AIDS. The group has a total membership of 48 registered groups made up of over 50 members per group with INTIMATE FRIENDS INTERNATIONAL as one of her most active group. As an umbrella group, ACTWID KONGADZEM’s responsibilities has been to coordinate and provide technical and logistic support in the empowerment of leadership skills, income generation, and aggro-forestry and specially sensitizing the capacities of women to better assume their responsibilities as natural leaders and bread or food providers in the homes in Africa setting. ACTWID KONGADZEM has adopted the approach of practice is perfect and as such, been able to carry the lessons taught during training to groups and member farmer for proper assimilation and adoption of newly acquired knowledge and skills ACTWID started with 48 registered orphans and vulnerable children and this has pushed us to organize some days to collect food items, clothes, second hand books, fees etc to support these orphans. Presently, ACTWID have 191 registered orphans and vulnerable children with some living with HIV/AIDS.
OUR POLICY
ACTWID KONGADZEM women and youths of the grass fields are committed to the task fostering creativity among all women/youths/children of the grass fields. They strive to foster co-operation and stamp out all forms of violence against women and children, discrimination, unhealthy myths and taboos which hinder women’s socio-economic development, climate change and cultural misrepresentation. They further identify felt-needs of women and children laying much emphasis in the fields of Education, Health income generation and Agriculture.
To foster development among women and youths of its target groups and communities, WE have embarked upon diversified programs which can be classed under the following groups
Education
To foster creativity means to promote education. We have been deeply rooted in the education of rural women and youths in many disciplines in both formal and informal education. Our Vocational training center of created and launched in 2017 and with collaboration from other organizations like Labdoo, ACEFA, NOWEFA, MBOSCUDA etc, we have helped many communities, organizations and individuals to acquire skills and experiences to sustain themselves and their families.
Arts and Crafts
Our organization has represented the country in many different events around the world to showcase as well and promote our art and culture in different regions
Peace and Conflict Resolution
Our organization has in partnership with other NGOs, and CSOs worked in providing solutions and assistance in communities and zones with difficulties and wars.
Networking
Our organization has created many networks with donors, sponsors and people of interest all over the world linking people of all ages and also communities.