‪#‎TARGETPEACE‬ empowers tens of widows for peace building & restoration tasks

The ‪#‎TARGETPEACE‬  online advocacy campaign organised a 'widows empowered for peace' fellowship in Douala on August 2, 2016.

Hours after the annual commemoration of the Day of the African Woman marked this year under the theme "Promoting Human Rights With Emphasis On Women's Rights: Cameroon Reaffirms Its Commitment", the dynamic potential of these broken spirits was beefed up on a peaceful & intellectual platform with the slogan, "Peace begins with a smile". In order to prepare the participants for peace crusading missions, the ‪#‎TARGETPEACE‬  Empowerment Platform through intellectual and mind blowing peace building exercises, enriched the widows for a challenging but possible peace building process.

Opening the gathering, the renowned Advocate of Human Rights and Liberties, Good Governance and Democracy and also a seasoned Elections Monitoring expert (http://hallelaw.com/en/member/nico-halle/) and President of the Cameroon Bar Assembly, known for his peace crusading moves Ntumfor Barrister Nico Halle broadened the widows' minds on the relationship between peace and elections.

The Regional Coordinator of the TB/HIV programme in the Littoral doubling as the CEO of the highly reputed TESHO programme reminded participants that blocks of peace could be built by every citizen who has ample knowledge of his rights and responsibilities as a dutiful patriot. The Executive Secretary of Women Peace Initiatives & President of WILPF Cameroon Jacqueline Sylvie NDONGMO, reminded participants that the aim of such a noble course was to see how to tackle challenges such as violence against women, combat conflict and restore the priceless asset 'Peace', which she believes is in the hands of all.

The Assistant General Manager of TOPROC Finance Plc and a phenomenal African Woman nominee (PAW is an African women's organisation that celebrates women whose life, struggles and legacy inspire and empower for action & change) Erica TAH elevated the spirits of these women who thought that life had come to a standstill following the loss of husband and emotional trauma society subjects them to. Telling all tens of widows present 'Peace begins with a smile' as Mother Teresa prescribed, she insisted that the smile from within can change a whole life, so energetic and phenomenal women they are, they should not allow society to determine when they smile or not.

Alex Gustave AZEBAZE an engaged journalist and very active social activist, returning from the Kigali AU Summit in an appropriate manner, in accordance with the culture and other appropriate circumstances or customs of the local, regional or national communities saluted the peace building exercise and educated the widows on their rights in the newly adopted controversial penal code.

The twin sisters and reggae artist kefhal King staged electrifying performances calling on all to get ahead of the wave and build blocks of peace for development and true emergence. This to the tens of widows present, was a call to the continent's women to rise up to challenges such as misuse of social networks, drug abuse, Boko Haram and other extremist attacks and HIV/AIDS.

Interest groups at the meeting such as BENCO LOVE & MUSIC listed their interest for the activity and wished to be part of such a gathering at least twice per year.

The main organiser Amy BANDA thanked all the speakers and participants of the enriching exercise, invited the widows to take an oath to make peace a lifestyle with a show of the ‪#‎TARGETPEACE‬  leaflets, handed over the donations for the widows and promised to take their suggestions into consideration for further intellectual platforms meant for the empowerment of women.

‪#‎TARGETPEACE‬ Peace begins with a smile. https://www.facebook.com/Targetpeace-967314920024677/