2015 Mandela Washington Fellow, Mirabel Nfihkel Ngong from Cameroon shares her story and passion of working to advance the rights of women and girls in her community.

Who is Mirabel Ngong?

Mirabel is a communicator and advocates for the needs of women and girls in Cameroon. With four years of work in the civil society, she has contributed significantly in strengthening the leadership skills and political confidence of women in the North West Region of Cameroon. Mirabel is a girls Mentor in WVED Cameroon’s LitWorld program reaching out to teenage school girls weekly to build their confidence and help them set and achieve their goals. She is currently engaged with Media Foundation for West Africa Ghana on professional practicum where she works to promote participatory governance and contributes in the rights to freedom of expression processes.

What are the two main challenges affecting women in your community.

Women and girls still face entrenched socio-cultural stereotypes undermining girls and women’s ability to participate, lead and influence public opinion especially in rural areas and among some minority groups. Such communities are hit by prejudices and discriminatory practices against women and girls by staunch custodians such as harmful and unhealthy widow rites and male privileges in family’s circles

Girls still face educational challenges of attending school and staying in school. Cameroon’s nets primary school attendance is 88% standing out in West and Central Africa but characterized by gender disparity. According to UNICEF studies, 40% of girls abandon school before they reach the fourth and fifth year of primary education, 31% get married before they are fifteen years. In the poverty stricken far North Region fewer than 18% of girls attend school. BokoHaram sect which has been a major security challenge in this part of the country abducts uneducated teenage girls and brainwash them to become suicide bombers in their targeted attack zones.

How can we address these challenges?

We need to continue to provide our communities with the much needed information on the rights of women and girls and their roles in championing and making this a reality. Through awareness creation and education, they will be able to understand that sound leadership does not depend on gender. Furthermore, we need to engage our local and national leaders to invest in women and girls who make up more than half of the population. I believe that educated women are more likely to send their children to school, guide them and build health and stable families, thus by encouraging parents, to give their girls education so they can evolve and be the change they seek. To all girls, stick to your vision, work hard and believe in yourself because your dream is possible. Remember to reach out and give others the same chances that helped you. Then to stakeholders, we need your contribution to invest in and promote the education of the girl child and usher in more women in leadership. While instituting educational reforms that promote the education of women paying closer attention on women and girls living with disabilities.

Are there any specific activities that you are involved in?

The Mandela Washington Fellowship is a great platform that has connected me with other dynamic young African leaders with whom we still stay connected, collaborate and encourage each other’s work. The fellowship presented opportunities of Mentoring and collaboration with government, business and local leaders we meet who encourage us and invest in the work we do. As part of the Program, I have had a USAID — US Agency sponsored professional practicum opportunity with the Media Foundation for West Africa in Ghana where I work to promote media for participatory governance while harnessing more skills on using media to advocate for women and girls.

After the MWF, I engaged in a Mentoring program with WVED Cameroon reaching out to teenage girls between the ages of 10–16 weekly in four schools encouraging them to stay in school, building their confidence and helping them set goals and work toward achieving them. Through this outreach program we help girls share their stories, providing them a safe, structured setting to read, write and raise their voices. Weekly sessions are structured around LitWorld’s Seven Strengths believed to help guide girls to understand themselves and the world better

What are you committing to do for the ‘Africa4Her campaign?

My pledge is to continue to mentor women and girls in my community and country, encouraging their ambition, empowering their confidence and helping set goals and work towards achieving them. I use my voice to speak for those whose voices can’t be hear. 66 million girls are still missing out on education that could transform their lives and make their families and countries better.

“Educate a Women, Empower a Nation” #Africa4Her

Interviewed by Cinderella Anena, Mandela Washington Fellow and a YALINETWORK member.