In August 2025, the Anyajua Youth Empowerment Association (ANYEA) organized a practical entrepreneurial skills training for 10 young adolescent girls in the City of Bamenda prior to the organisation’s AGM under the coordination of Madam Futsi Chiara. The initiative aimed to empower young girls with income generating skills in response to rising financial dependency and economic violence affecting many women and girls in the community. During the training, participants learned how to produce peanuts, fish rolls, and other pastries, with emphasis on hygiene, packaging, and basic marketing. They were encouraged to start small businesses with minimal capital as a pathway toward financial independence and self reliance.
The training provided the participants with practical knowledge and renewed confidence to engage in small scale entrepreneurship. One participant shared that the skills learned had given her the confidence to start selling fish rolls in her neighborhood to support herself and assist her family. Another trainee noted that the program opened her eyes to opportunities around her and motivated her to start small and gradually grow her business. These testimonies reflected the positive impact the initiative had on the participants.
The activity demonstrated that empowering adolescent girls with practical livelihood skills can significantly contribute to reducing financial vulnerability and improving their ability to meet personal needs. A key lesson from the training was that community based skill development programs, especially those facilitated by experienced women mentors like Madam Futsi Chiara, play an important role in strengthening the economic resilience of young women and promoting sustainable development within the community.
Rp: Elvis
