LocationsFrom an IDP to owner of a Tailoring Workshop: Mengla Doris Stitching a New Life
September 15, 2025
UNDP CMR: Mengla Doris stitching the pieces of a school uniform on the eve of school resumption
In her modest tailoring workshop, Mengla Doris carefully guides the fabric under her sewing machine, skilfully stitching the pieces of a school uniform on the eve of school resumption. Around her, trainees sit at their own machines, working on their projects while watching her demonstrations intently, their eyes reflecting curiosity, focus, and determination.
The hum of the machines creates an atmosphere of purpose and learning. For Doris, this moment shows just how far she has come, from a displaced mother struggling to survive to an owner of a tailoring workshop and mentor. Doris and her husband and three children were forced to flee their hometown of Kumbo as conflict spread across the North-West region. Displaced and uncertain of the future, they sought refuge in Bamenda, the chief town of the North-West region, where she found herself with almost no options to secure a livelihood to support her family.
“When we arrived in Bamenda, I felt lost and didn’t know how we would survive. We had a provision store that provided a livelihood for us but abandoned it as we fled. We were left with nothing. To worsen the situation, I had no skills and no way to support my family,” Doris recalls.
UNDP CMR: Mengla Doris and some of her trainees at the workshop
Doris was identified among over 40 other vulnerable young women within the framework of the Presidential Plan for the Reconstruction and Development (PPRD) of the NW and SW Regions and trained on tailoring at the Nkumu Fed Fed Women’s Training Center in Bamenda.
“The training was a lifeline for me. It gave me something I could hold on to, a skill I could use to rebuild my life,” Doris explains with excitement. After completing her training, she was provided with two sewing machines and a set of tailoring start-up materials. With determination, she quickly established a small tailoring workshop in Bamenda. Although the early days were difficult, Doris pushed through, and her business steadily grew. Today, she comfortably supports her family and is empowering other women.
“Before, I couldn’t even dream of paying for my children’s school fees. Now, I not only provide for them but also have hope for their future. Being able to support my family and passing on my knowledge and skills to help others find their footing makes me feel fulfilled. I currently have 3 trainees while 5 others have graduated and run their own tailoring workshops" Doris explains proudly.
Thanks to the support of our partners, the project has directly empowered over 321 youths like Doris, in the North-West and South-West Regions of Cameroon, through vocational training, provision of start-up materials, and farm inputs.
“With the availability of more resources, we will be able to extend the reach of this intervention to even more young women in need. There are over 40 communities across the North-West and South-West regions that are yet to benefit, and we are committed to ensuring that they too can access the training, mentorship, and opportunities this initiative provides,” said Mary Nyuyinui, Coordinator, UNDP Recovery Programme, NW Region, Cameroon.
UNDP CMR: Mengla's trainees sewing for customers
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