The pain left by the recent tragedy in Limbe has brought community leaders, humanitarian actors, and women peacebuilders together to chart a path towards healing, recovery, and greater preparedness.
At the centre of the initiative is Dr. Omam Esther Njomo, International Development Expert, Global Peace Champion, Peacebuilder, and Mediator, who led a community dialogue under the She Builds Peace Campaign in collaboration with the Denis Miki Foundation.
The dialogue, held at the Limbe I Council Conference Hall, on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, was organized under the theme, “From Healing to Action: Building Local Solutions for Community Peace and Resilience.”
It brought together families directly affected by the tragedy, quarter heads, council authorities, traditional and religious leaders, humanitarian organizations, civil society actors, women peacebuilders, private-sector representatives, and journalists.
The meeting provided a safe space for affected families to speak about their experiences. During the Healing Circles, participants heard emotional accounts of loss, survival, and the continuing difficulties faced by those affected.
For Dr. Omam and the organizers, listening to these experiences was an essential first step towards recovery. The discussions deliberately avoided blame and instead focused on restoring dignity, strengthening community support, and identifying practical ways to prevent similar situations and respond more effectively when crises occur.
The dialogue subsequently moved into a search for local solutions. Participants examined ways to improve early warning mechanisms, disaster preparedness, risk prevention, public communication, and coordination among local actors.
Community and religious leaders, municipal authorities, humanitarian representatives, women peacebuilders, and private-sector stakeholders were encouraged to take ownership of specific actions identified during the discussions.
This approach was designed to ensure that the meeting did not end with recommendations alone but translated into responsibilities that can be followed up at the community level.
The collaboration with the Denis Miki Foundation also gave the intervention a strong local foundation, ensuring that the voices and priorities of residents remained central to the process.
As a practical gesture of solidarity, aid kits were distributed to affected victims at the end of the gathering.
The media also played a prominent role, committing to amplify messages promoting preparedness, prevention, solidarity, and resilience within the community.
The Limbe initiative has once again highlighted the role women peacebuilders can play during crises, not only in providing support but also in convening communities, facilitating dialogue, and helping turn difficult experiences into collective action.
Through the She Builds Peace Campaign, Dr. Omam Esther Njomo and her partners are calling for women to have a stronger and more meaningful role in humanitarian response, peacebuilding, recovery, and local decision-making.
The next phase will focus on following up on the commitments made during the dialogue while maintaining engagement with affected families and community stakeholders.
In Limbe, the message was that the healing must lead to action, and recovery must be built with the community, not simply for it.
@Laarry Times
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