Tuesday 22 July 2014

Inspirational Woman Leader Spotlight

I am so humble and grateful each time I am spotlighted by one of these organizations. Be it professionally or personally, I work tirelessly for women's empowerment and self-worth. To that end indeed, I will know no peace.

And so, I wish to share with you two of those recent spotlights of which I am proud.

When approached by Megan Cho of the dynamic feminist blog Women Lead, I felt honoured and yet humbled to be spotlighted among other great women. Our interview went thus:

Marie A. Abanga, is what many will call a dynamic and determined woman. She goes by the three Ds of Determination-Discipline-Dedication and yes in most of what she does,  she strives to do it to her best thus she says. Marie read Law in the University and got called to the Cameroon Bar as a Lawyer. She practiced for three years and due to some personal and professional challenges, left her country to further her studies in Belgium. She is currently an LL.M Candidate in International Law with International Relations but she is especially a Feminist, a fervent blogger, an author, a mental health advocate, and also the Regional Manager Africa for the Women In Parliament Global Forum.
Women LEAD: What is your background?
Marie A. Abanga: I grew up in the city of Douala Cameroon and had dare I say a modest but emotionally charged childhood. I grew up seeing most women around me ‘abused’ regardless of perception that all was well in their households. Maybe that is what kept drawing me towards advocacy for women, the marginalized in general and defence of the most vulnerable during my brief practice in courtrooms. l still remember winning my first case in which l valiantly defended a ‘street kid’ charged with three grievous accusations.
Please read the entire interview here:
Before that, the Knowledge Gateway for Women's Economic Empowerment for which I was one of the pioneer Community Champions, did a perspective of my modest person for their July Newsletter.
They titled that column, 5 questions to a Leader and it was started off thus: 
Marie-Angele Abanga, is Regional Manager at the Women in Parliament Global Forum (WIP), an independent, international and non-partisan foundation established with the purpose of advancing society by building a network between Women in Parliaments. Last year, Marie-Angele was also elected Global Community Champion for Women's Economic Empowerment by the Knowledge Gateway.
1. What does ‘women’s economic empowerment’ mean to you and what are you doing today to support women’s economic empowerment?
Women's Economic Empowerment involves the ability to make economic and financial choices, which entails a process of change of all the components of societal structures that shape and reproduce power relations and the subsequent unequal distribution of society’s resources and opportunities . The economic 'stagnation' of women has for all time hastened their dependence on men, consequently their, 'abuse'.  This impacts heavily on their own well being, and of course that of their children and hence the well being of the community as a whole. Yet, today, statistics have proven to all extent how much benefit a society reaps when its women are economically empowered. It is for these reasons, that l volunteered mindful of my schedule, to be one of the pioneer Community Champions for the Knowledge Gateway  for Women's Economic Empowerment. I sincerely think I did my best and l even chronicled the rally l ran prior to my selection.  
- See more at: http://www.empowerwomen.org/news/five-questions-to-a-leader-marie-angele-abanga#sthash.Cc7ahnaD.dpuf
Dear gentle readers, it is a privilege indeed to contribute in whatever way, to the development of humanity.

Saturday 12 July 2014

One of my TV Interviews back home.





Watch me on Canal Two - News Room. Hope to answer your comments there. l can never thank Moki Charles Linonge enough and all the others too. Hope to be back next year! All the best to you all!

Friday 11 July 2014

MENTAL HEALTH IN AFRICA: MY STORY


It's time to talk
It’s time to talk








Dear readers and followers, it is time to talk more seriously about mental health. Not only are statistics glaring of an increase in the number of patients and the failure of ‘society’ as a whole to tackle mental health issues, but ‘we’ the patients, are so scared of the stigma attached to our ‘diagnosis’, that we prefer to just shut up and ‘die’ out our own way!
l won’ talk about facts and statistics the world over or even only in Africa. No, l will speak from experience. Mine and what l observed, drawing from my brother’s and others’. l was therefore honored to receive an invitation by Trish over at Mentalhealthtalk, to do a guest post on this ‘salient and silent subject’. Kindly hop over to read the rest of that post with just one click right here: Sure, your comments will be highly appreciated.
Real facts and figures?
Real facts and figures?
l don’t know how real those facts and figures are of if they apply to Africa. l only know what l have experienced as a ‘patient’ and a ‘caregiver’.
l want to be the change, l think the time is now:
Be the Change
Be the Change
Fortunately, we have a lot of resources online to help us in our research in finding ways to avoid or cope with mental illness. l thus found this info graphics5-Cs-diagram-0011worth sharing:
And this one is even more descriptive of the ways we can help ourselves and others l hope:
Ways to wellbeing
Ways to wellbeing
 l envy all those organized social services out here and all the helplines at your disposal or the insurance you could take out to help with costs and all.
mental-health-conversation-top-tips
My personal relationships are changing from now on; and l remember a recent post l just did where l expressed my determination to bounce back into life firmer.
We too can make a difference in someone’s  life, after helping our own selves out of course!
Dear gentle readers and followers, let’s not relent our efforts to make our lives and our worlds a better place, or what says thou?