CAMEROON INFOTREND

PLAN INTERNATIONAL CAMEROON SPEAK UP ON GIRL EDUCATION

By MILDRED NDUM WUNG KUM

Sad but true, the image of the 21st century girl child is still faint in the world of education.

Girls in both  rural areas and and urban communities either have no chance to go to school or are subjected to chores that block their access to education. A sadly large number of girls in most communities in the third world do not attain their desired dreams in life. They are deterred by the pressure to get married and the thought that females do not require much "book" among others. The misthought has rendered many girls both under utilised and under proficient setting the girl in a disadvantage position when offset with the male child.

 Plan International Cameroon advocates for equal opportunity to both sexes.

exhibition of artistic displays portray girls' worth

The NGO marked celebration of the international day of the girl child in various localities of different regions in Cameroon by raising voices on the need to avail girl children with same opportunities as their male counterpart. While celebrating the day of the girl child in the locality of Atuakom Bamenda on Thursday 10th October 2019 at the locality's palace, Plan Cameroon NGO demonstrates the glory that ensue when the girl is educated, the merits ranging from economic empowerment to sustainability.  A sketch portraying the potentials of the girl child is performed in the midst of spectators.
The spectators made up of children women and men are thrilled to learn the message passed across in the sketch.

The torment of forced marriage and the pain of a girl having to sacrifice for the education of her siblings through the money from her bride price is condemned in a sketch. The value of the girl child is also presented in the sketch when the same girl being forced to get married runs away, survives as a street vendor and sponsor herself with proceeds.

On walls at the celebration site in Atuakom Bamenda is written no child abuse, say no to violence, give equal opportunity to all children, educate the girl child, etc. At the celebration young fanciful girls dance to the tone
Of music played.

Social workers and community focal point persons all dressed in T shirts with the inscription Plan International Cameroon and the slogan bringing hearts and minds together for children speaks of an organization with the purpose of changing the story of the children. The recitation of poems embedded with need to raise the status of the female child in the world was also the order of the day

The commemorative activities were part of the celebration to mark the 2019 international day of the girl child which is pitched on the theme "girl forece: unscripted and unstoppable"