Shumas and women again

In a male dominating society like ours, especially during warring periods like the one north west and south west of Cameroon has been going through, women are highly exposed to great danger. Women have become victims of gender based violence, abandonment, psychological distress and displacement with no hope of survival. Frustrated and abandoned, they lament about what will become of them and their children after losing everything. As a response to the plight of the women affected by the socio-political crisis, SHUMAS, through her Humanitarian Response and the Women Empowerment Programs, gives a gleam of hope to thousands of women and girls affected by the ongoing crisis. It is in this light that the Strategic Humanitarian Services (SHUMAS) through concerted efforts have assisted thousands of women and girls through capacity building and provision of start-up materials. In respect to health, the SHUMAS-UNICEF project had the following results; Women were sensitized on Essential Family Practices (EFP) and social cohesion in 14 divisions in the NW/SW regions, Basic preventive and curative services were provided to pregnant and lactating women and girls (PLWG) and children under 5years, 1,428 pregnant women received at least 3 doses of Intermittent Preventive Treatment (IPT), 1,426 pregnant women received iron and folic acid, 23,000 families received at least one long lasting insecticide nets, and 8,761 households received treatment for malaria, ARI and 2 pack for the treatment of diarrhea in hard to reach areas. 100 vulnerable beneficiaries (71 IDPs and 29 Host Families) affected by the Anglophone crisis in Bamenda I, II & III was provided with psychosocial counseling, capacity building on gardening, poultry, and start-up materials; a wheelbarrow, 20 chicks, 2 bags 50kg of fowl feed, a cage, a 50kg bag of manure, 2 drinkers, a feeder, and assorted vegetable seeds. Also, 52 vulnerable women involved in fish processing in Mbefru Island in Bamalang – Ngoketunjia Division were trained on fish processing and the provision of 4 chokor ovens in the community for fish processing. Beneficiaries were sensitized on social cohesion. As a response to food insecurity, 45,000 persons suffering from acute shortage of food mostly women (24,634; 55%) received humanitarian food aid from SHUMAS and WFP in Bui and Donga Mantung Divisions. The food basket constituted of rice, beans, vegetable oil and salt. The aid is to improve family nutrition and combat hunger (SDG 2, zero hunger). Women groups were helped with finances to start up a business of their own to gain financial independence for their welfare and that of their families. Through SHUMAS, women have gained access to quality health care services; improve nutrition, and provision of start-up provisions.