The Regional Delegate of Women empowerment and the family for the Southwest Region, Lucia Ediage has inaugurated the Reach Out Peace House which has been christened, “Esther’s Brave Space” in honor of the Executive Director of Reach Out, Esther Omam Njomo.
This is taking place inline with the official launch of the 2022 16 days activism to end Gender Base Violence-GBV. The dual event took place on November 29 2022, at Reach Out Peace House, located at west-farms-Bokwango, Buea.
The grand opening of the Peace House is projected under the theme, “Peace Tables: promoting women peace and security through a culture of peace and social cohesion in Cameroon”.
The peace house will be a training and capacity building center for women-led civil society organizations carrying out peace building activities for women peace and security WPS agenda; and a temporary accommodation and listening and counseling center for survivors of GBV and other persons suffering trauma.
The project will be implemented in 40 conflict-affected communities in the Northwest, Southwest, Littoral and West Regions of Cameroon.
Talking to the Executive Director of Reach Out, Madam Esther Omam Njomo on the whereabouts of the initiative of a peace house, she explain that women need adequate structure where women faced with GBV can have a part way to healing through their various staffs.
“This initiative is as a result of resilience of women peace builders who have gone the brunt of the conflict which has rock and continues to rock our two restive regions. So many women have suffered, they have been traumatized and there’s need for psychosocial need and we do not have adequate structures especially for victims of GBV".
"As a result of what we have done on peace building, we thought it right to come up with sustainable structures which is going to help our people, our women, our youths who have suffered in the course of this conflict and also help those who continue to suffer."
According to the CEO of Reach Out Cameroon, the peace house is a place where women will came and have some quiet time, get some part way to healing.
"We have accredited a psychologist, case managers, sexual and reproductive health rights specialist, field staffs. We have a canopy of many staff specialized in the various areas who will be attending to all those who will be coming here".
"We are also going to use this space for capacity strengthening of women who want to get into peace building or those who are into peace building who want to consolidate their gains or learn about mediation practices".
In addition to all of the later, she me tioned that as a mediator, she will use the space in leading mediation for community members, couples, and stateholders who want to benefit from their services.
"Basically, it is the people’s house where when you need some quietness you came and you get it, where if you need information about GBV, about peace conflict, mediation and humanitarian assistance, you will came to this place and you will get all of that, because there’s a corner for counseling” Madam Esther Omam.
Present at the inauguration was the Paramount Chief of Buea, HRM Chief Dr. Robert Esuka’ Mbella Lifafa L’Endeley, the various partners of Reach Out; International Rescue Commission IRC, other NGO’s representatives.
By Ndefru Melanie in Bamenda
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