Missions et objectifs

History

Started in July 1997 by two friends Prof. Tih Pius Muffih (a Cameroonian), and Dr. Munro Proctor (an American) the Women’s Initiative for Health Educarion and Economic Development Cameroon (WINHEEDCAM), focuses on alleviating poverty among rural women in Cameroon through socio-economic empowerment. WINHEEDCAM provides small loans together with health, spiritual, and general business education among rural poor and disadvantaged women in 5 of the 7 Divisions of the North West Region of Cameroon.

WINHEEDCAM is an empowerment initiative that seeks to contribute to development through focusing on the wellbeing of women in rural and semi urban communities in Cameroon. Its present headquarters is located on the Commercial Avenue Bamenda , North West Region, with a satellite office in Kumbo Bui, Division.

In the North-West Region of Cameroon, about 63% of the total female population lives in rural communities. One of the major challenges faced by women in these communities is that of access to sustainable livelihood opportunities, commonly, women in these communities have embarked on subsistence activities intended to meet basic household needs. Dr. Munro Proctor and Prof. Tih Pius worked together among rural women in Cameroon for many years. During these years, they observed the need for the women to access sustainable livelihood opportunities. To address this problem, they decided to start a Micro Credit Scheme similar to that of GRAMEEN TRUST in Bangladesh.

The process started in 1997 with 69 women in 5 groups with a starter loan of 1,500,000FCFA to be paid in ten equal installments. The success of the first loans led to the increase in the amount of money made available as micro-credits and an increase in the number of women receiving micro-credits. Women’s Initiative for Health Education and Economic Development Cameroon (WINHEEDCAM), focuses on alleviating poverty among rural women in Cameroon through socio-economic empowerment. WINHEEDCAM provides small loans together with health, spiritual, and general business education among rural poor and disadvantaged women.

Objectives

The program's goal is to reduce poverty through economic empowerment of women. To attain this goal, the program has the following objectives:

• Reduce poverty through self-help projects.
• Grant productive loans to women to to finance farming, small craft, small scale trading and other economic activities.
• Encourage women to take care of their health.
• Promote female education and train development agents.
• Encourage women empowerment through cooperative efforts.
• Dynamise development initiatives, in rural and poor semi-urban ares.
• Encourage savings for future investments.
• Empower women through education programs.

Mission Statement

To eliminate poverty through health, education, and economic activities among the poor.

Goal

Alleviate Poverty through socio-economic empowerment of women.