CI-NEWS

Renewed Life Network on offensive to transform sex workers in Bamenda.

2020-07-01

No: 508

Renewed Life Network on offensive to transform sex workers in Bamenda.

By GEORGE Etoh Anzah in Bamenda.

Following the 4 years crisis that has rocked the North West region through which thousands have been displaced, young girls and women have continually been subjected to violence of varying sorts. This violence has either resulted in push or pull motivators in which victims have plunged in a bid to better lives’ worries. Thus many have become sex workers to sustain their children. They rent single rooms around Bamenda's popular Mobil Nkwen, reputed for obscene sex deals. Their plight attracted the attention of Renewed Life Network, a non-governmental organisation based in Bamenda which thought it wise to plunge into a rare domain to give hope while transforming the lives of these children and young girls through its social and psychological rebranding medium.

Jiti Rene Nganji, coordinator of the network, says "children of sex workers go through dehumanizing experiences; they watch their parents have sex with men ,drug consumption, chronic alcohol consumption, fighting amongst others".

In this venture their children have been exposed to sexual abuse, Gender based violence (GBV), theft amongst many other derogatory crimes. The way forward therefore is identifying these children and working with them out of their present environment through the setting up of a convenient milieu to avoid distraction. The organisation, he admits, is on the offensive to create a Love Child center and a Child Rebuilding Center. This, he says, will act as a venue where children of the sex workers can be trained in a bid to avoid environmental abuse. The dream goal which isn’t functional, he adds, will be a unique opportunity where the children will be cultured, nurtured and structured as they hope to peace talk their parents out of such a venture before ensuring the release of the children to them.

According to findings, female sex workers in Bamenda go for as low as 1000frs per man and their upkeep and success depends on how many men they take to their individual abode. Additionally they rent single rooms and pay rentage fees with proximity to a nearby bar where their services are consulted. This life style therefore leaves the children with no option as they may stay up till midnight or keep wake till above 3am while their parents make the financial gains. This alone depicts the trauma and poor living standards these children have been reduced to. Rene adds that "the children and mothers displaced by the crisis came to Bamenda where they have no relative and as such were left with no option than to plunge into this, a life they had never lived".

According to UNHCR report, at least 50000 Cameroonian refugees are living in neighbouring Nigeria with more than 100,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs).This alone means without sex activities or sex-related works there exist so many homeless people.

In this wise Renewed Life Network has successfully relocated a handful of displaced people to benefit from help through other mother non-governmental organizations operational in Bamenda.

With the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, Renewed Life Network trained 10 young girls whose ambassadorial activities in the sensitization of girls and women has paid off. “Additionally we broke the shell by reaching out to teenagers on GBV, education on Covid hygiene, Menstrual hygiene amongst others”, he says.

The network itself is on an offensive social media advocacy on these related vices. The NGO counts above 15 young girls and teenagers benefitting from its services with little financing. Rene hopes to get more financing to create a sex workers-free Bamenda.

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Renewed Life Network on offensive to transform sex workers in Bamenda.