A Journey of Commitment, Resilience & Transformation
Our Vision
A community where gender equality is achieved, women and girls enjoy all their fundamental rights, live in dignity, and have equal opportunities to participate in and contribute to the development of their communities.
Our Mission
To mobilize, empower and strengthen grassroots and urban women, girls, adolescents, men and young people through education, economic and social empowerment, advocacy, capacity development, humanitarian interventions and peacebuilding initiatives.
Empowering Grassroots Women Since 1997
RUGBWA was rooted in a simple but powerful conviction: no woman or girl should be denied her rights, dignity, or potential because of poverty or gender inequality. Founding leadership observed firsthand how economic dependency left many women vulnerable to domestic abuse, exploitation, and violations of basic rights.
On 7 March 1997, six committed women came together to establish RUGBWA in Bamenda. Registered under the Ministry of Agriculture in 2000 and expanding to Lebialem in 2002, RUGBWA has grown from Common Initiative Groups (CIGs) to implementing World Bank, European Union, and Global Fund backed initiatives.
Key Historical Milestones
- 1997 Founded in Bamenda on March 7th by 6 visionary women leaders.
- 2002 Expanded to Lebialem & Relay Office created in Wabane for community health & HIV advocacy.
- 2007-15 Sponsored ~500 primary school girls in Bamumbu in partnership with Prof. Alan Afuah.
- 2016+ Strategic renewal under Ms. Nembo Ekong, expanding into WPS/YPS & Humanitarian Peacebuilding.
Hon. Malu Nembo Pauline
Seasoned Educationist & Agile Coach
B.Ed in Curriculum Studies & Teaching. Public speaker, trainer, and recipient of several awards from MINPROFF for 29+ years of community service and global human rights advocacy.
Ms. Nembo Ekong
SGBV Activist & Peace Advocate
Leading RUGBWA’s strategic transformation since 2016, driving feminist initiatives, engaging men/boys as allies, and integrating WPS/YPS peacebuilding across crisis-affected regions.