UP-STEPPING THE VALUE OF THE NEEDY IN TWENTY YEARS: THE CASE OF THE CIRCLE OF FRIENDS OF CAMEROON (CERAC) IN SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND WOMEN EMPOWERMENT 1995-2015

Just after independence, the young African states saw the need to construct their nations to fit the political, economic and socio-cultural realities of the changing times. But such construction would be very beneficial when each constituent of the societal stratum was taken into consideration. As much political values were fast determined and constructed, those of economy and socials were often tottering and sluggishly picking up owing to the educational, health, purchasing power of most of the populations. The most frustrating element thereto, was generational gap, with most of the growing peoples quit young and vulnerably weakened my undetermined lifespan, caused in the main by the proliferation of deadly diseases, disabilities, meek purchasing command, and so on. Since the state of Cameroon could not unilaterally do all, other conscious non-state actors decided to come in to help. It was in this light after the liberation law of 1990; CERAC came to be and stepped in to help the state in closing the vulnerable-development gap in Cameroon. Thus, the central contention of this paper is that CERAC (philanthropic by itself) has participated (and continues to do so) in an indisputable manner in surmounting and/or resolving socio-economic challenges and problems in Cameroon since 1995. Consequently it, from a historic-feminist approach, investigates and analysis the evolutionary value of its humanitarian activities, it?s adaptable, procedural and modification consonants within the confines of the Cameroon socio-economic variable contexts and needs of its beneficiary. This study also shows that CERAC has become a reliable working tool for the empowerment of woman, the promotion of basic human rights, value of formal education, vocational training, health, farming and other self-sustaining activities.