44-year-old Asongwe Ernest Che of Sandpit-Buea, whose motor spare parts business was on the verge of collapsing, now has a poultry farm from which he has revived his business and is sustaining his family thanks to training, coaching and loans from MEPCAM.

“Before I met MEPCAM, my business place did not have a shelter; I was actually struggling with very little capital and knowledge to sustain this business, which was collapsing. Thanks to the training, coaching and loans from MEPCAM, I have been able to engage fully in the buying and selling of motor spare parts, besides y mechanic work. I have equally opened a poultry farm with proceeds ploughed into my business. Part of the proceeds is equally used to sustain my family”, Asongwe Ernest attested.

The motor mechanic, cum businessman and poultry farmer now has a bank account where he constantly saves money to reinvest into his business, unlike before.

33-year-old Madam Simon Judith involved in buying and selling foodstuffs and other basic human needs at the Auberge neighborhood in Buea has a similar testimony. 

“My business was almost crumbling when I was introduced to the Hope and Better Life Project of MEPCAM. Through this project, I was trained on entrepreneurship and enterprise development for over three months. this training was followed by an FCFA 200,000 and FCFA 400,000 interest-free loan for phase one and two respectively, accompanied by a continuous hands-on mentorship, which has greatly revived my business. The rapidity with which my business is growing has forced me to employ a salesperson to meet up customers’ demands. My living standard has improved. I am able to sponsor my children in school and take necessities with the profit I make” She expounded.

Madam Judith also attested that the knowledge she received during the training on customer service has helped her business to withstand the competition and challenges posed by the Anglophone crisis. The emerging business tycoon plans to expand her business to a semi-super-market within the next 5 years, from which she will not only take care of her family but also the needy in her community. She solicits continuous training, coaching and other supports from MEPCAM

35-year-old Douala-based Ajonina Carine, who graduated with a degree in Zoology and diploma in Public Health and struggled fruitlessly to puck up a government job, is now an employer of 5. 

“I was really disappointed after graduation from the University because I never had anything doing. Thanks to the training, financial support and coaching of MEPCAM, I started a honey business with 20 litres. today, I supply over 2000 litres of honey to different business centres and offices across Cameroon. on a monthly basis”. Carine testified.

With an interest-free load of over FCFA 400,000 from MEPCAM, the emerging entrepreneur has diversified business. “I also got an interest free loan from this organization, which I am investing in network marketing and equally involved in detergents production. This new line of business gives me a monthly proceed of at least FCFA 300,000. With this, I am able to support my husband in the provision of some household needs”. She said. With her business now registered with the ministry of small and medium-size enterprises and a website for online marketing, Ajonina Carine’s dream is to set up a company that will supply natural medicinal honey and detergents in the international market.

Anthony Uche now has six moile money kiosks and has employed six youths in less than 2 years. Besides these, Mr Uche is also involved in the buying and retailing of gas through which he has been able to support himself and his family. He attributes the success of his business to MEPCAM’s support.

“The entrepreneurship training and over FCFA 600,000 load I received from this organization helped tremendously in. the expansion of my business”, the business tycoon attested. He looks forward to establishing 10 more kiosks and setting up an agency where mobile money customers will be able to buy credit and sim cards.

The participation of 49 years Tiko-based Eyong Martin in MEPCAM’s enterprise training and mentorship program, has transformed him from a Cameroon Development Corporation worker to an employer with ten staff.

The father of 4 lost his job at CDC Due to the anglophone crisis and could not immediately pick up another job after putting in every effort. A situation which placed him in a fix as he could not meet up with family demands but MEPCAM’s training-induced his breakthrough.  “After losing my job as a result of the anglophone crisis, I went around looking for jobs to permit me to take care of my family but could not find one because of my age. In course of the training and mentorship with MEPCAM, I was challenged to use my experience from CDC to create a job for myself and others around me. After a deep reflection, I decided to engage in the cultivation and transformation of cassava into other finished products, which has given a new meaning to my life and my family. We pray every morning, thanking God for blessing, our life can never be the same again”, he stated.

Mr Eyong Martin owns a small factory that transforms the cassava he cultivates from his farm into garri, water fufu, nkum-nkum, etc. He has employed over 10 workers in the factory and looks forward to employing 20 more and processing cassava into many different finished products for the international market.

I was really idle and depended entirely on my husband for house needs until I came in contact with MEPCAM whose on-the-job training and mentorship motivated me to establish a poultry farm. Three months later, the poultry farm yielded a profit of over FCFA 300,000. This encouraged me to increase the number of birds to 1500, with the help of coaching and an interest-free loan which I received from MEPCAM. Through this business, my children’s school fees, medication, food, clothing and other family needs have been well taken care of,” 39-year-old Engang Euphemia Anja of mile 4 Limbe testified during an onsite visit recently. This “Transformed Livelihood” project beneficiary, who had never been involved in any serious business, before encountering MEPCAM, looks forward to opening a chicken parlour where the chicken will be roasted and delivered at nightclubs, parties and events. She also desires to purchase a piece of land for the expansion of her poultry farm and the establishment of a livestock farm.