For Us By Us: Platform Reveals Cameroonian Expertise

L ocal entrepreneurs were given a platform to showcase their products and connect with consumers at the first edition of the For Us By Us exhibition. The event on Saturday October 3 brought to­ gether entrepreneurs from different sectors, including furniture manu­ facturing, natural hair care, food and beverages, with a common objective of promoting locally made products and encouraging Cameroonians to support home-grown businesses. While opening the exhibition, the mission bearer, Dr Captain Edith Gib­ son Fongwa said the initiative was born out of the need to make Came­ roonian entrepreneurs more visible and create stronger links between producers and consumers. She said that the country has no shortage of talent or creativity, but needs to be­ come more intentional about sup­ porting its own businesses. According to her, the exhibition is the first part of a broader vision to create an eco­ system capable of taking Made-in- Cameroon products beyond the local market. She noted that many Came­ roonians in the diaspora are willing to buy products from home but are often discouraged by logistics. To address this challenge, the initia­ tive has created “Eforti Mart”, a digital marketplace dedicated to Made-in- Cameroon products. The platform is expected to enable selected entre­ preneurs to reach consumers in Ca­ meroon, Africa and the diaspora. She explained that products meeting the required quality and regulatory stan­ dards could be purchased in bulk and stored in warehouses in the United States before being sold to customers online. She stressed, however, that not every product labelled Made in Cameroon would automatically qua­ lify as particular attention, would be given to regulatory compliance, pro­ duct quality, packaging and presen­ tation, especially for products inten­ ded for international markets. The entrepreneurs participating in the exhibition welcomed the initia­ tive. Angie Valentine, a local sofa manufacturer, said the event was an op...