International Women’s Day: In Cameroon’s Far North region, mothers’ clubs provide a model for building a healthier, more prosperous future

As we mark International Women’s Day, we share the story of Cameroon’s mothers’ clubs, groups of local women trained by the Red Cross to raise awareness about hygiene, maternal health, education and the empowerment of young women and girls.

In a region where diseases such as cholera and malaria continue to pose a significant risk to life, mothers’ clubs are providing communities with essential information on health and hygiene, while also looking out for signs of potential health problems or outbreaks. 

“In the past, many women did not understand the importance of vaccination, menstrual hygiene, or prenatal consultations,” says Tchinabi Thérèse, president of the Kodek mothers’ club and mother of six children.

“Today, thanks to the training provided by the Red Cross, we know how to explain these topics to our community and convince them to adopt good practices.”

The work of the mothers’ clubs goes beyond issues of health. They work with local parents, for example, to allow young girls to stay in school and they support a wide range of income-generating projects that provide women with their reliable sources of revenue.

The projects include a community farm that grows millet and cowpeas, a project in which members produce artisanal oils (sesame, balanites, moringa), a farm that raises sheep and many other initiatives.

The activities are supported by something called the Programmatic Partnership, a multi-year partnership between the IFRC, member National Societies and the European Union to help communities worldwide be better prepared for disasters and health emergencies.

Supporting safe and healthy communities

In Cameroon’s Far North, the results are tangible: local health authorities report that more women are now regularly visiting their local health centre, hospital births have increased, and proper hygiene practices are becoming widespread.

“This initiative has helped a great deal in the Kodek health area,” explains Manasse Kouchakbe, midwife and Interim Head of the Kodek Health Centre. “Mothers’ clubs have been very helpful in raising awareness in households and they also help us to identify diseases with epidemic potential in the communities. 

“Take malaria – through sensitization, volunteers have increased community members’ use of insecticide-treated bed nets. Now, the number of malaria cases has dropped significant.”

In emergency health situations, the mothers’ clubs also mobilize.

“When a child was bitten by a dog, we immediately alerted the Red Cross and advised the mother on the necessary actions,” says Aïssatou Dahirou, president of the Dougoï mothers’ club. “Thanks to this quick intervention, the child received timely medical care.”

With the support of the Red Cross, these women are not simply recipients of humanitarian aid; they have become public health advocates within their own communities.

Promoting equality, education and empowerment

Beyond their role in addressing health and hygiene issues, the mothers’ clubs are also helping to empower women – particularly young women and girls – to have more control over their future and well-being.

One of the major challenges, for example, is the continued practice of early marriage, in which girls are married before they are able to finish school. To help change these practices, the Red Cross and the mothers’ clubs are actively working together to change community attitudes and convince families to let girls finish their education.  

“In the past, girls were married off at 12 or 13 years old,” explains Aïssatou Dahirou, president of the Dougoï mothers’ club. “Today, thanks to awareness efforts, more and more families are allowing their daughters to continue their education.”

Supported by the Red Cross, the mothers’ clubs organize awareness sessions in schools and neighborhoods to encourage parents to keep their daughters in school. Their message: an educated girl can help lift her entire family out of poverty.

One of those parents, Soureya, did in fact change her thinking on the issue after visiting with the Kodek mothers’ club.

“I had to drop out of school in my first year of primary middle class,” she says. “Today, I want my daughters to go further than I did. Thanks to the Red Cross, I have understood the importance of education, and I do everything I can to keep my kids in school.”

Supporting women’s economic empowerment

The Cameroon Red Cross and the mothers’ clubs also supporting the economic empowerment of women through a support program for Income-Generating Activities (IGAs), enabling the mothers’ clubs to develop local economic initiatives.

• In Kodek, women cultivate a community farm, growing millet and cowpeas, ensuring a stable source of income.
• In Dougoï, they have established a production of artisanal oils (sesame, balanites, moringa).
• They have also launched a sheep farming project, made possible by 600,000 FCFA in funding provided by the Red Cross.

“We started with five sheep, and today we have managed to expand our flock. After the Feast of the Sacrifice, we will sell our animals and generate profits,” explains Aïssatou Dahirou.

However, challenges remain, feeding the animals is costly, and the women still lack sufficient equipment to strengthen their activities. Despite these obstacles, they remain determined to expand their IGAs and ensure their financial autonomy.

With Red Cross support, they are not only becoming economically independent but also strengthening their role in decision-making within their households and communities.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).