Madeleine Atyame Akpwa: A Life of Faith, Courage, and Determination

Madeleine Atyame Akpwa (July 27th, 1927 - July 29th, 2024) was a kind and gorgeous woman, a retired tailor, farmer (cocoa and coffee food farming), fish farmer (fish and shrimps), and Councilwoman. She left at 97 years old on July 29th. 

Widowed at 40, she raised more than 15 children (including hers and others) and grandchildren. She pushed all of them into their studies to the end without ever having anyone lacking food or medical care. To do so, she had to keep her nose to the grindstone with a stiff upper lip. 

Some of her other outstanding achievements are: 

• A prize won in the Cameroonian agricultural show (fish farming category) 
• She saved one of her daughters from Sickle Cell Disease (anemia) despite the doctor's pessimistic and hopeless predictions (15 years of life expectancy). It took a lot of money and dedication to take care of her daughter, who is now over 50 years old. 
• Elected Councilwoman in the rural municipality of Sangmelima and then in the town hall of Meyomessala, Cameroon.  
• The forerunner of women's rights in south Cameroon: Due to a law stating that a woman couldn't inherit, she had to appoint one of her brothers-in-law as executor of her deceased husband's will. Seeing them feasting on her belongings, she wrote to the President of the Republic and succeeded in re-acquiring her properties. 

Despite all the bitterness humanity fed her, she never harmed people, never condemned them, and never lost her faith in God and his Son, Jesus Christ. 

Although independent-minded, kind, and generous, her faith in God set her apart. Her unwavering faith in God was a guiding light in her life and others. 

She hated child abuse, hatred, and ignorance. Her moral rules were faith in God, hard work, Kindness, dignity, courage, and determination.

#StrongWomen #Inspiration #FamilyLegacy #FaithAndDetermination #womenrights.