The President of the Cameroon Retailers (“Bayam-Sellam”) Association (ASBY) met UNFPA’s interim Resident Representative, Aymar Some, to discuss on perspectives of expanding the partnership between the two institutions on aspects including women’s economic, social and health empowerment.

Discussions began with a quick assessment of the last activities carried out by both institutions before delving into pressing matters which included:

Women and girls’ empowerment through leadership training provided for local producers and retailers on small-scale business management, marketing, accounting, packaging and innovation with the use of digital technology and modern farming materials.

This was closely followed with discussions on access to funding for small scale business towards increasing production and business sizes.

Further, both parties dwelled on the issue of access to social services such as family planning, sexual and reproductive health, and many others.

And subsequently, the need to foster peace and living together in the markets and other public spaces regardless of cultural and social background.

Another discussion tabled in the course of this meeting was the upcoming celebration of the “National “Bayam-Sellam” Forum for exchanges between “Bayam-Salam” and other actors of the Informal Sector” (FEBASI) scheduled from December 13th to 23rd 2023. According to Madam Mballa Biloa, the forum’s highest value is embedded in the fact that it will bring together famers, fish farmers, retailers, craftsmen and partners from the 10 regions of the country to showcase their products and know-how. The main objective of this fair is to promote the transformation of the production chain through innovation while keeping prices affordable for low-income earners. This takes into account the need to protect the Intellectual Property of producers such as to guarantee the sustainability of their businesses.

Marie Mballa Biloa, further used this meeting to seek UNFPA’s support in building stronger partnerships with other stakeholders committed in reaching people usually left behind namely, vulnerable women and girls operating in the informal sector like the “bayam-selam”. ASBY believes that FEBASI is an important activity that will help promote women and girl’s empowerment, gender equality, peacebuilding and innovation.