My Journey

Hello my name is Stelz and i am a Cameroonian currently living in Addis Ababa -Ethiopia. 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 resonate with me from these early years. Empowering women especially through education, giving them a voice and a place in society as 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 I 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.

My biggest challenge now in my community here in Addis Ababa is to create a training opportunity to digitally empower women. As spouses of diplomats are not permitted by the Ethiopian government to work in the country, most women are staying at home doing nothing and feeling helpless. It is my wish to bring them together online and introduced them to the great World Pulse platform. With the support of our Sub Sahara lead resident here in Addis Mrs Leina Chi, what a great resource! I am gradually planning the first living room World Pulse session in Addis Ababa. So watch this space …..

Update

I am very proud to say that World Pulse Ethiopia was launched on the 12th of June 2016 with an overwhelming interest from both local and international community. The challenges amongst women in this community is despicable from street women and their children as beggars to women in factories and construction sites etc. that has prompt me to ask the question - Women Economic Empowerment OR Women Exploitation.

I am in the process of setting up an NGO to tackle some the issues especially for local women empowering them with skills that can help make their life better thereby giving them more opportunities in their local communities.

Cheers