As the persecution of queer people in Cameroon continues in broad day light, underground activists are fighting for change.

The article discusses the ongoing persecution of LGBTQ+ individuals in Cameroon, highlighting recent actions by the government to suppress LGBTQ+ content in the media and public discourse. The National Communication Council threatened sanctions against media houses broadcasting LGBTQ+ content, citing it as a violation of good morals and Cameroonian legislation. A planned conference on gender and sexual identity by the French Ambassador for LGBTQ+ Rights was rejected by Cameroon's government. The article also recounts incidents of violence and discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals, including the arrest and public harassment of two trans women in 2021. Human rights activists, such as Nfomi Laura Berka and barrister Alice Nkom, are advocating for the protection of LGBTQ+ rights, despite the risks involved in such activism in Cameroon. The article underscores the hostile political and cultural environment faced by the LGBTQ+ community in Cameroon, with no immediate prospects for change.

Empowering Cameroon's War-Affected Women Through Baking Skills

Churube Stella, a former businesswoman and farmer from Ako, Cameroon, has faced severe hardships due to the armed separatist conflict in the English-speaking regions of Northwest and Southwest Cameroon since 2016. Her property was destroyed, and she was forced to flee to Buea with her family, living as an internally displaced person. Stella, along with other female victims of the war, has received vocational training at Ghoshem Baking School, run by gender activist and baker Ekabe Quinta. The training aims to empower these women to become self-reliant and rebuild their lives. Pastor Roland Essele of Crown of Faith Deliverance Ministry initiated the program, using his income as a commercial taxi driver to fund the training. The article highlights the ongoing conflict in Cameroon, the plight of IDPs, and the efforts to empower them through skill acquisition.

Cameroonian Student Invents Tomato Dehydrator to Combat Post-Harvest Losses

Liza Kengran Vernyuy, a young Cameroonian agricultural engineering student, has developed a tomato dehydrator to help reduce post-harvest losses for tomato farmers in Cameroon. Growing up in a tomato-growing community, she experienced the challenges farmers faced with spoilage due to the short shelf life of tomatoes and poor transportation infrastructure. Determined to find a solution, Vernyuy created a dehydrator that uses air-drying to preserve tomatoes and other fruits and vegetables. The machine has undergone several iterations and is now available in the market, with prices averaging FCFA 280,000 ($468). Vernyuy's innovation not only helps farmers reduce waste but also provides a means to create value-added products like tea infusions. She is currently pursuing a Master's degree and plans to start a company to produce the dehydrators in larger quantities and open a shop selling dried fruits and vegetables.