International Women’s Day: Celebrating These Inspiring Women in Cameroon
Cameroon is blessed with courageous women who can not be ignored in the Economic, Political and Social growth of the country.
The 21st-century woman is more than a housewife, they are major players and shareholders in affecting the policies of a Nation. International Women’s Day is celebrated every March 8th worldwide. A day set aside to celebrate the cultural, political, and socio-economical achievements of women. This year, the theme for International Women’s Day is “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”. Particularly, Women in Cameroon are commemorating their 37th international Day today.
Cameroon is blessed with courageous women who can not be ignored in the Economic, Political, and Social growth of the country. In this light, we have put together 20 Inspiring Cameroonian Women worth celebrating. The list of women worth celebrating is extensive, and truth be told, every woman deserves a spot here. Among the most celebrated women in Cameroon, we have carefully laid down 20 of these inspiring women who have stood out in their spheres of influence. These ladies are arranged in no particular order.
Rebecca Enonchong
Rebecca Enonchong is an influential Cameroonian tech figure. The award-winning female entrepreneur is an investor in African tech startups and CEO of a US-based software company known as AppsTech. In 2017, Rebecca was named among 100 Most Influential Africans in SCIENCE, TECH & INNOVATION by the New African Magazine. Forbes also listed the tech guru among Africa’s 50 most powerful women in 2020.
Clarisse Ndinge
Clarisse Ndinge is a blogger and founder of Beta Tinz. She is probably among one of the best and most popular social media blogs in Cameroon. With a very dynamic way of credit contents in pidgin, and basically among the first Cameroonians to do that. Bagging lots of awards and endorsements here and there, the blog Queen is also worth celebrating on this day. The multi-award-winning entrepreneur and writer is an inspiration to both established and upcomers in the media family. She’s also the founder of Beta Media, Beta girls Organisation, and Beta Night.
Sarah Liengu Etonde
Sarah Etonde is popularly known as the “Queen of the Mountain”. She is a record 7 times winner of the Mount Cameroon Race of Hope. After four consecutive wins between 1996 and 1999, she earned the title “Queen of the Mountain”. Sarah Liengu Etonde won three more titles and retired. To date, no athlete has broken her record. And in 2006, Buea revealed a statue in her honor. It was only the second municipal statue constructed in Buea ever, and the first since that for Otto von Bismarck.
ADELINE SEDE KAMGA
Adeline Sede Kamga is the Founder/CEO of FabAfriq Media Group. A Creative and Innovative Marketing and communication agency with offices in the UK and Cameroon operating both in Europe and Africa. She has expertise working across different areas in the corporate, business, and community world. She is committed to delivering quality projects in Corporate PR and Communications, Change management, Executive Coaching.
Faith Fidel
Faith Fidel is the future of the Cameroon movie industry. At a young age, she is already leaving her footprints in the movie industry as a remarkable actress with huge potential. Faith Fidel started her journey in acting back in 2014 in the movie “TENACITY” where she just had a small role. Later on, she went from one set to another. She appeared in movies like “Striped”, “Vindicated”, “Saving Mbango” in 2018, “Stained”, and in 2020 she played in “Where I come from” and “The Fisherman’s Diary” which really brought her to the light.
Daphne
Daphne is has remained one of Cameroon’s biggest names in urban music. Ever since her music breakthrough she has been a role model to aspiring female singers with several awards, and endorsement deals to her name. Having had some of the biggest hits in French Africa, the supertalented Singer has created an image for fellow aspiring female singers to follow and look up to. Daphne has been a trailblazer for musical excellence in leadership, her commitment, and breaking every status quo.
Ajara Nchout Njoya
Ajara Njoya is Indomitable Lioness’ captain, and one of the best in her league. She is one of the Best African players at the moment. Ajara has has a very successful sports career, especially bringing glory to the countries name, both national and international. The Cameroonian striker has plaid for many clubs and hasn’t disappointed in her performance in any way. As a good leader, she has led all her teams to glory. And in 2019, Ajara Njoya became the leader of the Indomitable lioness 2019 with her exceptional performance during the world cup. Aside from sports, Ajara has taken it upon herself to fight against early marriages and advocates for Children’s Education not only in Cameroon but in Africa as a whole.
Françoise Puene
Françoise Puene popularly referred to as “Mami Nyanga” is a Business tycoon. Though not from a rich background, she succeeded to have her way with the sales of puff-puff and beans. Presently she owns hotels and buildings in the Capital City, Yaoundé. Her unique dressing style has made her an admiration of many. More so, she is a role model to many young girls.
Kah Walla
Edith Kahbang Walla, popularly known as Kah Walla, is a Cameroonian politician, entrepreneur, and social activist. She is the Executive consultant and CEO of STRATEGIES, a leadership, and management consulting firm she founded in 1985. She went into politics in 2007 with the Social Democratic Front (SDF), the main Cameroonian opposition party, and was then elected into the municipal council of Douala I. Kah Walla is been celebrated in Cameroon and beyond. She was recognized by the world bank in 2007 as one of the seven influential women entrepreneurs in Africa. Kay Walla is also counted among the 150 women who moved the world by Newsweek.
Evelyn Chumbow
Evelyn Chumbow is a Cameroonian-born American anti-human trafficking activist and public speaker. Evelyn is a survivor of child labor trafficking who has decided to focus her life’s work on ending modern-day slavery. Today, Chumbow works tirelessly to raise awareness in communities to create employment opportunities for trafficking survivors. Her story is a sad one, Chumbow was brought to the United States from Cameroon at age 9 and forced to cook, clean, and care for her trafficker’s children. Nevertheless, she has broken all odds and is able to tell her story today and help others. She is now one of the most powerful and dynamic activists as she advocates Anti-trafficking and human slavery and has dedicated her life for the course winning her a position to work for the White House. She’s been featured on CNN and ABC and has done speaking events for the Break The Chains Campaign.
Mimi Mefo Takambou
Mimi Mefo is a Broadcast Journalist and a public figure. In September 2018, Mimi established her own news platform, Mimi Mefo Info, seeking to provide fellow Cameroonians and readers throughout the world with information about the escalating violence and unrest in Cameroon’s western regions. And in December 2018, she made international headlines when she was arrested and jailed by authorities in Cameroon for four days, accused of spreading terrorist propaganda. This Dynamic woman hasn’t stopped there as she continues to fight for the weak. She’s worth celebrating.
JOAN NGOMBA
Joan Ngomba is an outstanding Cameroonian media personality and is worth celebrating. She was one of the brains behind Pulse TV in Lagos, Nigeria. And as a presenter for Pulse NG, with 10years of media experience, she has worked on so many media projects in Nigeria. There, Joan decided to extend her knowledge, experience, and projects from Nigeria to her homeland Cameroon. Till now, she has helped in highlighting and celebrating Cameroon entertainment and entertainers. She’s one of the most popular in her field. She is the founder of one of Cameroon’s most popular entertainment platforms – Dcoded TV and Freaky Table.
Constance Ejuma
Constance Ejuma is an award-winning actress and producer born in Cameroon and raised in the Washington DC area. Constance has credits in theatre, film, television, and commercials and her work have given her the opportunity to collaborate with prolific artists like Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka and Academy Award Nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo. The multiple award-winning actresses had a role in Marvel’s Black Panther as a Dora Milaje warrior for which she received a SAG Award. In the corporate world, Constance is the Vice President of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) at Penske Media Corporation.
Coco Emilia
Born Ilondo Nawe Claude Emilia popularly known as Biscuit de Mer is arguably Cameroon’s most popular socialite. Biscuit de Mer is very well admired for her striking beauty, ostentatious lifestyle, stylish sense of fashion, unpretentious tongue, and controversies. She is also very well known not only in Cameroon but in Francophone Africa. Her business ventures include involvement in the retail and fashion industries with clothing boutiques, collections, and fragrances. Her wedding reportedly costs over 80 Million Francs. Coco Emilia is a brand ambassador to Tangui and Molifix.
EBANGHA NJANG
Ebangha Njang is a Cameroonian entrepreneur, event Promoter, and CEO of Kreef Entertainment and Sa Majeste Magazine. With Kreef Entertainment she discovered and signed popular rapper Mic Monsta and gave him exposure in the music industry. Ebangha has always contributed by adding value to the entertainment industry and is one of Cameroon’s biggest promoters in the USA. Her importance in this contemporary Entertainment industry goes beyond her label aspirations. Despite being young, her resilience and determination are one of a kind. She’s is the brain behind the first-ever “Diaspora Invasion” that took place in Maryland USA.
Guiamegne Sylvie
Guiamegne Sylvie is one of the most beautiful women in Cameroon; endowed with a beautiful body that attracted music video directors to use her in clips. Popular known as Gi Sylvie aka madam VIP is a young, vibrant ambitious, and elegant Cameroonian entrepreneur/Socialite.
In Early 2020 Sylvie was the victim of a Horrible acid attack that was meant to ruin her life forever. She trended on Social Media and many expected her to be stay off the internet forever but she turn her story around.
Very popular on Snapchat as an e-commerce businesswoman known for her cosmetic company – Gi Cosmetics.
The young lady is an inspiration to many and worth celebrating too. She has also proven beyond doubt that, life always throws you curveballs, but you have to be resilient and watchful. It’s been more than a year now and she has successfully bounced back to her feet. The young entrepreneur and CEO have won her scar with pride continuing her path.
Nourane Foster
Nourane Moluh Hassana Epse Fotsing, also known as Nourane Foster (born December 11, 1987, in Cairo, Egypt) is a Cameroonian entrepreneur and politician. In the 2020 Cameroonian parliamentary election, she was elected to the National Assembly as a member of the Cameroonian Party for National Reconciliation (CPRN). Nourane Foster is among the youngest politicians in Cameroon. In a society where the young hardly gets such a position, 34years old Nourane Foster has proven otherwise. And that age doesn’t really matter. She’s an inspiration to many youths going into politics.
Mafue Forchu
Mafue Forchu is a communication expert committed to changing the PR space in Cameroon, and Africa, at large. She and Santha Mbatcham cofounded the fast-rising PR agency, “ImageNation”. ImageNation is a young, engaging, and vibrant Public Relations company based in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Her expertise in PR has led her to be featured on African and Cameroonian platforms and magazines including Sa Majesté Magazine and Business Hub Africa. Not forgetting she has worked for CNN on an interview with Samuel Eto’o.
Shuri Asumta
Sumis Events and Studio is owned by entrepreneur, Shuri Asumta who is now regarded as the best event decorator in Cameroon.
Her passion for the industry has not only won awards for her but has positioned her brand, Sumis as a leading events and planning company in Cameroon. She’s currently the CEO of the firm. Her dedication and love for what she does have brought a lot of positive feedback and review to her name. It’s, for this reason, she will always continue to excel. These days you will hardly see 20 Professional pictures online without her watermark “Sumis Studio” as her company is also known for photography and is in high demand all over the country.
Asumta is truly one underrated inspiring young woman who has shown girls that they can survive on their own if they truly take their passion seriously and build a formidable team.
Anastasia Brenda Biya
Brenda Biya, as fondly called, is the daughter of Paul Biya, President of the Republic of Cameroon and Chantal Biya. Despite having almost everything made possible for her, she is still trying to do her own stuff. On April 16, 2020, she launched “Bree Culture Inc Shopping”, an online wig store. Right now she has a beautiful hotel/restaurant at Bastos, Yaoundé Cameroon.
This list reflects that diversity and acts as a catalyst to motivate a new generation of female changemakers, innovators, and disruptors.