But as a girl child, Mih Bibiana MBEI Dighambong, as may call her, had a difficult life. Hers were long years of pains and sufferings from childhood through her teenage, to womanhood. And the typical patriarchal society she got grew up in prepared her for her for future services that would require passion for humanity, the drive to bring relief to those in distress and crisis.
“Her noble and humble background formed and shaped her vision and passion for humanity” said an acquaintance of hers to The Voice newspaper. “She learned the values of humility, compassion, care and love in her own adversity.”
Yet Bibiana, a graduate of the International Relations Institute of Cameroon, IRIC had a topflight and comfortable public service career in teaching and administration. But it was not totally fulfilling. She craved to do things that would touch lives directly. Raised by her old grandmother in a poor rural setting has given her the lamp light, vision and passion for vulnerable and abused women, girls and children in poor rural communities. More than anything in the world, she wishes to be an ambassador for the suffering, destitute, vulnerable children, those affected by negative cultural practices, social injustices, conflict and wars.
She is devoted and committed to bring peace, hope, change and a difference to the desperate and hopeless persons. Its a yearning and motivation she has nursed from child. Bibian works to add value and dignity to the lives of those around her and even beyond. AS she put it, her “Humanitarian organization is named after my grandmother in honor and remembrance of her simplicity, extra ordinary kindness, love and respect for human dignity.”
WARNING: If you don’t want your energy level to be elevated by the writings and words of unconditional love and forgiveness Bibian radiates everywhere she goes, then avoid her.
Bibian has always been moved by the sufferings of rural people, abused women, marginalized girls, and victims of conflict. To be effective in this field, she chose to go back to school to study conflict management and humanitarian action. Her Humanitarian Foundation supports vulnerable women, girls, youths and children in poor rural communities with health, education, basic needs, and shelter, enhancing their capacity to live their full potentials.
Perhaps the conflict in Anglophone Cameroon has made Bibian’s work even more relevant to her community. Hear her. “We have far too much violence and conflict, and that is why we have more people who are hungry and in need of assistance.
I call on the people in power, the people with guns, to stop the fighting now. I have seen people’s wounds with my own eyes and I heard their stories with my own ears. They were frightened, hungry and malnourished after enduring a nightmare that most people cannot even imagine. If we are truly going to end hunger, famines and wars, we must stop this kind of inhumanity.”
She adds, “the vicious cycle of conflict and hunger must be broken if we are to achieve a world where everyone has enough to eat. Conflict forces millions of people to abandon their land, homes and jobs — putting them at risk of hunger or even famine. At the same time, hunger may contribute to conflict when coupled with poverty, unemployment or economic hardship.
Bibian and her team of volunteers go into the poorest communities in villages whose existence is not even known to many Cameroonians. Even in the heat of conflict, these brave souls risk their lives to bring aid to people in desperate need. So don’t be surprised when you see her on a commercial bike, an overloaded car or on foot heading into the hinterland. As you will see in one of the pictures in this story, Bibian has been involved in a car accident on the slippery, hilly and rocky tracks called roads in Menchum Division. The vehicle she was travelling in tumbled but she was unhurt.
Bibian has transformed the lives of thousands of people in poor rural communities, in the domains of Peace-Building and Reconciliation, gender equality, poverty alleviation, defense and promotion of the rights of vulnerable persons, upholding children’s rights, Social, economic and community development, Prevention of teenage pregnancy, promotion of education of the girl child and promotion of the health and agricultural sectors for sustainable human growth.
She equally imparted her community by organizing conferences, seminars and talks on conflict prevention, Gender Equality, Human Rights, Non violence, Peace building, Justice, Reconciliation and forgiveness for a Sustainable peace and Development.
It is a mission that has taken her to several conferences and seminars on Conflict and Peace building at local and National level.
Bibian’s passion and drive is to engage with thought leaders and high ranking decision makers in international Humanitarian policy. She dreams and yearns to work towards building bridges of love, compassion and human empathy. She longs to build a world free of hatred, division, violence, conflict and wars. She invites those with a passion for humanity to challenge her, converse with her, and slog through the mud with her.
As a researcher, Independent and International consultant in Humanitarian issues, Reconciliation and peace building, will not rest in her quest to mitigate the high cost of humanitarian crisis, unthinkable human suffering that erupts from human rights violation during armed conflict. She would seek strategies towards prevention of mass human atrocities. With a Masters in International Cooperation and Humanitarian Action, she is on the ground and in the trenches working to bring greater autonomy and dignity to the people of the developing world.
Bibian has an admirable stock of qualities: High school teacher, motivational speaker Wife, Mother of three. She is full of acts of random kindnesses. In fact, when next you meet Bibian, take out your check list for her character traits including the following: compassion, humility, simplicity, generosity, trustworthiness, loyal to her community, assiduity, and tactfulness in her dealings. Check out if these qualities have earned her the admiration of many in her community and around the globe.
Bibian holds the following qualifications: Professional Higher Teachers’ Training Diploma (DIPES I) from ENS Annex Bambili, Professional Higher Teachers’ Training Diploma (DIPES II) from ENS Yaoundé, Bachelor’s Degree in English Language/Literature from the University of Yaoundé I, and a Masters in International Cooperation and Humanitarian Action For Sustainable Development (CA2D) from IRIC Yaoundé.
Among many international experiences, Bibian is a Hive Global Leader. She is an author of a most cherished book by policy makers titled. “RWANDA-Horrors of Genocide: Prevention is possible in our world today”. This book gained international recognition upon publication in 2018.