39TH INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY: MINRESI WOMEN’S CHARITABLE DONATION TO THE AGED

On Tuesday 5 March 2024, women from the Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation presented gifts to the grey-haired inmates of the Béthanie VIACAM retirement home.

In preparation for the 39th celebration of the International Women’s Day, MINRESI women carried out social activities under the supervision of theMinister, Dr. Madeleine TCHUINTE. In this connection, they handed gifts to the BETHANIE VIACAM retirement home in the Yaounde- Nkolmesseng neighbourhood on Tuesday 5 March.

The Béthanie VIACAM Centre (for disabled and abandoned grey-haired people in Cameroon) was founded in 1981 by Sister Gertrude Julienne AVOUZOA, sensitive to the difficulties faced by the elderly. It is one of the few institutions that takes care of the elderly in Cameroon. Since the death of its founder in 2016, the Béthanie VIACAM centre has relied exclusively on donations from do-gooders.

The MINRESI delegation, led by the Secretary General, Prof EBELLE ETAME Rebecca, was welcomed at the centre by its residents, their two housekeepers and Abbé MBALLA EFFA, representative of the centre’s Director. They were hosted in the centre’s tiny chapel.

The prelate’s sermon focused on one of the three pillars of the lent season, namely “sharing”. He saluted the visit of the women from MINRESI, which is a perfect example of sharing according to the Gospel. Speaking on behalf of the lucky beneficiaries, he thanked the Minister and all the women who had made the trip. Apart from the gifts in kind, they had shown love and provided warmth, which the residents lack most.

In her turn, the Secretary General of MINRESI recalled that the Minister, Dr Madeleine TCHUINTE, is very sensitive to human suffering in general and to that of the elderly in particular. She pointed out that old age is a blessing and warmly comforted the inmates. Having handed the gifts, the “Amazons of MINRESI ” had a warm chat with all the fourteen inmates of the centre. Their spokeswoman, fondly called “Princess”, thanked the Minister of Scientific Research and Innovation in particular for her special gifts. She also expressed her gratitude to all MINRESI women, appealing to them that they must not compete with men, but rather they must courageously support and tirelessly work in developing their families and our country.

The two-hour visit ended in jubilation, amid singing and dancing. Memorable photo shots were captured and archived in the “Amazons of MINRESI “collection, bearing witness to the imperative need to “invest in women”.

©Celtrad/MINRESI