COMMON INITIATIVE
GROUP OF THE WOMEN FARMERS OF BOGSO
(Group d'Initiative Commune des Paysannes de Bogso, GIC-PAB)
GIC-PAB was founded in Bogso, a village in the Republic of Cameroon, by a group of women. Since its founding GIC-PAB, has helped to alleviate poverty, mainly through the cultivation and processing of cassava (one of Cameroon's staple crop), and by searching for recipes based on cassava, to one day sell on the market. As of 1998, GIC-PAB consisted of 72 members, 62 women and 10 men. Currently the members farm 100 hectors of cassava using basic tools such as hoes and machetes.
GIC-PAB has developed its own very efficient strategy of cultivation. The strategy is coined YUM, in which the land is worked in work saving groups. It is about community work being done by individuals, and the obligation of each person to his/her social duties. Due to GIC-PAB's success, the organization was invited to explain its YUM philosophy for the benefit of the world's rural women. It has established a school canteen, which provides meals every day for primary school children. Public hand water pumps, public latrines, market stalls, an I.T. room and library, a mill, a cultural group, and a village Bank have all been provided by GIC-PAB.
GIC-PAB is active on an international and national level. GIC-PAB's cassava project was one of the 486 projects invited to participate in the Universal Exhibition in Germany. Twenty-one farmers from GIC-PAB were able to present Cameroonian cassava to the whole world through their locally developed recipes. GIC-PAB's success in the EXPO earned the farmers the award of a world medal which raised the women farmers of Bogso to the rank of "Cassava Queens". On a national level GIC-PAB has attended several seminars and workshops on the fight against poverty, and has won numerous awards for many recipes (46) based on cassava. It is also a member of the Committee of NGO's to follow up on the World Food Summit. Locally, GIC-PAB is responsible for a number of vital facilities.
Contact:
Teclair Ntomb
Bogso Women's Association,: GIC-PAB
BP 128 Bogso Eseka
Bogso Eseka
Cameroun, Africa
Tel: 237-205486
Fax: 237-205486
gicpab@yahoo.fr
