From June 26 to 28, 2026, the Association of Women of the Telecommunications Regulatory Board (AFART) embarked on an excursion across the South Region, visiting Sangmélima, Djoum, Mekoto, Mintom, and Ntam. This civic immersion, guided by the vision of TRB’s Director General, Professor Philémon Zoo Zame, was marked by social cohesion, solidarity, and institutional outreach.

Far from being a simple leisure trip, AFART’s journey reflected a coherent approach: a management style that prioritizes women’s empowerment and social action as institutional imperatives. It echoed the vision of the Head of State, H.E. Paul Biya, whose “Seven-Year Term of Greatness and Hope” places women and youth at the heart of national development. Under the coordination of Professor Zoo Zame, whose welcome speech in Mekoto set the tone, the association translated this commitment into concrete action, embodying the TRB’s role as an institution of active citizenship.

The delegation, led by the Chairperson of the AFART Executive Board, Haoua Ndjeugue Djidda, began its journey on Friday, June 26, in Sangmélima, where the Mayor, the former TRB Staff Mr Jean Faustin Bekono Emane, hosted them for a visit to the Paul Biya Monument, a symbolic stop underscoring the patriotic dimension of the excursion. They then traveled to Djoum to tour the National Armed Forces Training Center (CIFAN), one of the most memorable moments of the trip. In a respectful yet warm atmosphere, TRB’s Director of Heritage, Mr. Émile Franklin Anda Bile, and the Center’s commander engaged AFART members in a candid dialogue on institutional cohesion, living together, and strengthening ties between TRB staff and their environment. Participants described the encounter as a true illustration of the “family spirit” promoted within the TRB. The day concluded in Mekoto, the DG’s native village, with a communal dinner.

Saturday, June 27, was the most intense and community-focused day. The morning featured a workshop organized by the Mintom Council, bringing together AFART members and local women for exchanges and shared experiences. This was followed by AFART’s donation of supplies to women’s associations in Mintom, a powerful gesture of solidarity beyond institutional boundaries. In the afternoon, the delegation traveled to Ntam to visit the border with the Republic of Congo, a stop both geographic and symbolic. The day ended with a festive evening alongside Mintom residents, a moment of human connection that left lasting memories.

On Sunday, June 28, the final day, the women of AFART first visited the Chief of Mekoto village. His Majesty warmly welcomed the delegation and praised their initiatives throughout the trip. The group then proceeded to Zoulabot to visit a pygmy settlement, the last stage of an itinerary designed to highlight the diverse human realities of the nation. Personal donations were offered to the inhabitants, extending the spirit of solidarity into the private sphere. The return marked the close of an excursion that will remain etched in the collective memory of TRB’s women.

Beyond the program itself, this journey revealed an institution that understands telecommunications regulation cannot be conceived in isolation. Through its grassroots actions, AFART embodies a TRB of proximity, close to its staff, close to communities, close to the country’s deepest realities. This citizen engagement, internal cohesion, and territorial outreach are no accident. They are the natural extension of a managerial vision consistently upheld since June 2017, when Professor Zoo Zame assumed leadership of the Board. Since then, he has tirelessly encouraged and supported social and civic initiatives within the institution: under his guidance, TRB’s staff mutual was created, providing a structured framework for internal solidarity; likewise, the TRB Sports and Cultural Association (ASCART) was established, fostering collective cohesion and fulfillment.

AFART’s excursion to the South Region thus fits into a broader continuum: that of a Director General who has made staff well-being and community engagement integral components of TRB’s institutional mission.

ESMA