Beyond the shared bond of agriculture, these women also share a painful history of displacement. Fleeing the recurring onslaughts of the extremist group Boko Haram and other armed factions that have plagued the region since 2013, they were forced to abandon their ancestral villages.
"During the height of the crisis, the situation was very complicated. There were many kidnappings, property damage, and numerous forced displacements," Weteye recalls. "The fear of being abducted prevented us from tending to our fields," she adds.
Their journey led them to Mozogo, a village that currently shelters one of the largest populations of internally displaced individuals in the region. Despite the relative calm that has since returned to their native villages, a significant number of these women chose to remain in Mozogo.
Rebuilding Lives through Agricultural Endeavors
To help them move on from this difficult period, Weteye relies on her collective of women farmers, both to rebuild social ties and to revitalize economic activities in these remote areas.
"We decided to pool our strengths to cultivate the land, exchange ideas, and promote coexistence. Today, we are like a family."
Weteye Ndidama, Farmer
Rebuilding their lives through agriculture is becoming a successful venture for the women in the collective. Together, they cultivate nearly half a hectare of land, mainly producing maize, millet, peanuts, and onions. These crops not only provide food for their families but also sell in the markets of Mozogo and the major cities in the region. "With every harvest, we sell approximately three tons of produce. It is an honor to contribute to the welfare of our community," one of the women in the group proudly states.
Reducing Discrimination
Weteye's collective strives to embody a shining example of coexistence in a region where deep-seated prejudices among communities persist. These young women hail from diverse backgrounds, representing various communities such as the Mafas and Mandaras. "To me, that doesn't matter," asserts Weteye. "I would like us to reduce community conflicts in the Sahel and diminish discrimination." To accomplish this, she places her trust in the values of solidarity, mutual support, and shared prosperity that lie at the heart of agricultural practices.
Since late 2020, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has been supporting Weteye Ndidama and her fellow collective members. "We first equipped them with comprehensive training encompassing advanced agricultural techniques, effective product preservation, and value-added processing methods. Subsequently, we provided ongoing technical mentoring and guidance to ensure the success of their production endeavors. Finally, we extended crucial assistance in the form of agricultural machinery, essential inputs, and high-quality seeds, amounting to a total contribution of 2,000,000 FCFA," explains Apollinaire Adamou, the national livelihood expert at the UNDP in Maroua, the capital of the Far North region of Cameroon. "We continue to provide steadfast support by monitoring and guiding their production activities," he added.
Simultaneously, in the village of Mozogo, the UNDP has also rehabilitated the market and constructed warehouses for storing and preserving goods.
"Believing in young people of the Sahel"
Undeterred by the hardships of daily life and the prevailing security risks, Weteye Ndidama staunchly affirms that "courage is the key to survival and progress." She emphasizes the need to have faith in the Sahelian youth.
"We cannot afford to remain idle. We must carry ourselves with dignity! Together, let us be the pillars of development in our communities in Cameroon and across the Sahel. Together, let us strive for peace and the well-being of all," she concludes.
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