My Journey

My name is Stella Mofor and I come from the North West Region of Cameroon. I am the third child being one of 7 children of my mum and dad. I am married and blessed with three beautiful children 1 boy and 2 girls.

I started my formative years in Cameroon. As a Catholic Christian I went to an all-girls primary and secondary catholic school. - Our Lady of Lourdes Secondary School, Mankon, Bamenda, Cameroon which was founded at a time when it was considered rather odd to educate the girl child. The sole purpose of this school was, preparing girls for their roles as model Christian women leaders, wives, and mothers in future. These are the values that have resonated with me from these early years. I am a strong believer that \"when you empower a woman you empower a nation but when you empower a man you empower an individual\".

After high school I started university in Nigeria and later moved to the United Kingdom which I consider my second home having lived there for 23 years, studied, married, and raising my family. During my time in the UK although I worked professionally in IT and finance I also did find time to engaged in many community activities including being on the board of governors on the African community centre in Wales, Volunteered as IT trainer teaching refugees basic IT skills with different charity organisation. I created and lead the Cardiff Cameroonian women Association (CCWA) which have grown today not only to include Cameroonian women in Cardiff but immigrant women across South Wales, UK. For the last 5 years I have lived in Vienna – Austria, Bonn – Germany and currently in Addis Ababa as a diplomatic spouse.

The challenges in Ethiopia are enormous just like in many other developing countries. Here in my community of Addis Ababa what is very obvious to me is the gender equality gap. May be it is because I am a woman that this is so glaring to me. But one can see it and feel it everywhere. From the streets where mainly women and their children are professional beggars, to constructions sites where women and girls are main labourers, to young girls being pushed into early marriages as way of solving poverty in their families and the list goes on.

Early/child marriages in this community has had a tremendous negative health impact on many women. I had the opportunity to visit one of many Fistula Centres in Addis Ababa where young girls and women suffering from Obstetric Fistula live. After about a two hours sit down and listening to their heartbreaking stories, and the way these women get treated when they return to their communities it did not take me long to decide that this is a course to which I could channel my effort as I continue in my plight to empower women. My elevator pitch is here I say to myself. Thank you World Pulse as my interaction with the world pulse online community made me turn my dream into reality. World Pulse is definitely a force to be reckoned with, which without most of our dream will die within.

This takes me to the next phase of my Journey as I introduce to you all my new baby - Bridgender Gap Global (BGG) Organisation

Gender inequality damages the physical and mental health of millions of girls and women across the globe. (World Health Organisation)

Bridgender Gap Global is a non for profit (NGO) organisation with the aim of empowering women and girls across the globe. The aim of this organisation is to improve gender equity in health, acknowledging that women’s rights to better health is one of the most direct and potent ways to achieve social justice and bring change to whole communities. Our top priority is to work with girls and women suffering from obstetric fistula.

Fistula is a childbirth injury caused by prolonged obstructed labour. Without treatment, fistula often leads to social, physical, emotional, and economic decline.
At Bridgender Gap Global, we are bridging the gender inequality gap through breaking down barriers that are denying women the opportunity to attain their full potential. Gender equality and women’s empowerment are critical for achieving not only economic but also social growth, and we know that gender mainstreaming is a key strategy for promoting women empowerment as well. In the world today women continue to experience significant gaps in terms of poverty, education, health, technology, agriculture, and the labour market.

Taking it one day at a time, resources (money, setting up social media, opening a training centre, volunteers etc) permitted, it is my wish to take this project further by supporting these girls and women suffering with this disease and somewhat being ostracised from their communities, by helping them reach their full potentials beginning with our
Africa Programmes - in Ethiopia and Cameroon;
Better Health Promotion
• Helping women get the operation they need and cannot afford for obstetrics Fistula
• Campaigning against child marriages one of the major causes of Fistula
Education/Training -teach them
• Basic IT and Internet skills
• Basic literacy/ English language skills
Entrepreneurial Skills - train them in
• Jewellery making by local women using local materials
• Handbags, purses by local women using local materials
.