Promoting women and girls in the North: Saare Tabitha keeps its promises by training nannies and domestic workers in Cameroon.

Promoting women and girls in the North: Saare Tabitha keeps its promises by training nannies and domestic workers in Cameroon.

Training nannies and domestic workers is not a luxury, but a necessity. It is an investment in home safety, the dignity of workers, and social progress. A country that values ​​all its professions, including the most invisible, is a country moving towards greater justice and humanity.

In Cameroon, as in many sub-Saharan African countries, nannies and domestic workers play a central role in the functioning of households. They care for children, maintain the home, prepare meals, and sometimes even provide companionship to the elderly. Within organizations or structures such as public services, NGOs, hospitals, and various other institutions, domestic workers maintain cleanliness and perform tasks essential to the organization’s operation. Yet, despite their importance, these domestic workers often work without prior training, which raises major issues regarding safety, professionalism, and dignity in the workplace.

Indeed, without training, the risks of domestic accidents, malnutrition, or unintentional abuse increase. Training nannies is therefore essential to protecting children and families.

Training to Empower: Saare Tabitha’s Commitment to Nannies and Domestic Workers

In a context where domestic work remains largely informal and often undervalued, the Saare Tabitha center in Maroua, in Cameroon’s Far North region, stands out for its pioneering initiative: professional training for nannies and domestic workers. This approach aims to professionalize an essential but too often marginalized occupation.

In 2018, the center trained its first domestic workers in the Far North. For one year, nine young women followed a rigorous program covering:

– Childcare: hygiene, nutrition, early learning, and safety

– Home maintenance: cleaning techniques, laundry management, and organization

– First aid and prevention of domestic accidents

– Communication and professional ethics

The training was enriched by practical internships and exchange visits, promoting experiential learning.⁽²⁾

At the end of their training, the participants received a certificate of completion at an official ceremony presided over by the Regional Delegate for Social Affairs. This institutional recognition marks an important step towards the professionalization of the domestic sector in the region.

A Transformative Social Impact

Beyond technical skills, this training enables beneficiaries to:

– Gain economic independence

– Access more stable and better-paid jobs

– Be better prepared to defend their rights as workers

It also contributes to changing society’s perception of these professions, highlighting their importance for family well-being and local development.

An initiative to be expanded

The Saare Tabitha experience shows that it is possible to structure and value domestic work through training. It calls for replication on a national scale, with the support of public authorities, NGOs, and employers.

TESWE RENE (Saare Tabitha Maroua )