BeLA is a grass root non-profit organization founded in 2016 and official registered in April 2019 with the competent authorities in Bamenda to respond to the needs of women and youth in Cameroon. Bamenda is located in Mezam Division, North West region of the Republic of Cameroon. The work and efforts of BeLA targets all categories of women and young people with focus on the most disadvantaged and vulnerable. The choice of this group of target beneficiaries is guided by the fact that most development efforts and intervention does not fully engage and mainstream women and youth in their interventions. BeLA’s strategic focus is to facilitate a platform and create a safe space for women and youth to unleash and realize their potential while achieving lasting positive change in their lives while also engaging in community development.
BeLA seeks to empower women and youth by promoting basic human right and providing appropriate information and skills so that they make informed decisions, thereby grooming a new generation of healthy, educated and highly esteemed women and youth who possess both hard and soft skills; are gender sensitive, actively participating in the economic sphere and are able to make the right choices and decisions at individual, family, community and national levels. To achieve this dream, BeLA strives to provide a wide range of holistic support services in-order to ensure that women and young people are fully empowered and exposed to opportunities for their individual and community success. The following thematic areas (intervention pillars) formulate the building blocks for BeLA’s work;
(i) Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
(ii) Gender Based Violence
( iii) Trafficking in Persons and Modern Day Slavery
(iv) Economic Empowerment
(v) Sport for Social Integration.
The work of BeLA in all these thematic areas will be underpinned by capacity building and skills development.
We believe that, when people feel safe, they can be whatever they want to be and they can do whatever they want to do – Yekpu Eleen Ndze, Founder and Executive Director
Our passion and dedication drive us to engage communities to build awareness on Human Rights Violations and to participate in rescuing, rehabilitating and empowering victims of various forms of abuse as well as victims of circumstance to create better livelihoods for themselves and their communities.
BeLA is registered as an Association with registration No 32/E.29/1111/VOL.8/ALPAS in conformity with the provision of Cameroon Law No 90/053 of 19 December 1990.