On Wednesday June 12, 2024, in Maroua – the capital of the Far North region of Cameroon – many people came to the “Jeannette Horbaïta” Center to share the joy of young girls who had reached the end of their training. To ensure the success of this annual event, everyone involved – trainees and trainers alike – spent several days setting up tents and chairs to welcome the guests.
It was 10 a.m. when the ceremony began: all the girls, dancing to the rhythm of the music, came from one side to the other, to meet around the flag where all the guests stood up to the playing of the Cameroon national anthem “O Cameroun…” followed by the Centre’s anthem “Jeannette Horbaïta” ! A moving moment, warmly applauded by the audience with words of congratulation! Sister Yvonne MAPOU, FSE, director of the Center, took the floor to welcome everyone and briefly present the Center with its joys and difficulties, and to encourage the young girls and all those who helped them in their perseverance to train for 3 years … until this festive day! The girls showcased their skills through traditional dances (Toupouri, Guiziga, Moudang, Massa…), poems and sketches, culminating in the presentation of certificates to the ‘finissants’, followed by report cards to the other classes, while friends, acquaintances and parents also received small gifts from each of the girls as a token of their appreciation. We then visited the exhibition rooms (knitting, embroidery, dyeing, etc.). .The festivities continued in the reception hall with a fraternal sharing of a glass of water. Everyone was delighted with the work done and the beautiful ceremony, the good organization, the atmosphere and, above all, the warm welcome reserved for everyone without distinction.
For me, it was both an opportunity and a pleasure to take part in this beautiful ceremony. I’m still delighted to have seen these young girls capable of taking charge of their own lives at the end of their 3 years of training! And how much I hope to apply my discovery of a few ways of doing things to the Touloum “Centre de Promotion de la Jeune Fille” from which I came,
Glory be to God for the beautiful final study of these young girls towards their new future! Thank you to all those who are involved in this training center to develop “fraternity and social friendship” (“Fratelli tutti” by Pope Francis).
Sister Pascaline SOMDA, Touloum Community. Published July 5, 2024.
