Suzie: "What is happening in my home country keeps me up at night"

Suzie discovered this during a voluntary internship at Erasmus MC in Rotterdam. She shadowed staff in the oncology and gynaecology departments and was impressed by the vast amount of data available for research into women’s health. “At the same time, it made me sad”, she says. “In Cameroon, such data is virtually non-existent, making research into women’s health almost impossible.”

That is why Suzie wants to collect and use data on women’s health in Africa for the first time. She doesn’t want to do this on her own, but together with other female researchers. Her current master’s degree, Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, is helping her to delve deeper into the field of bioinformatics. The master’s programme combines biology and mathematics. 

“Even though I’m not good at maths”, she says. “I find it really difficult. But when things get tough, I remind myself of my mission: I want to improve women’s health in Cameroon. That motivates me.”

In her spare time, Suzie finds even more ways to help women in Cameroon. For instance, during the 2025 presidential elections, she was one of the hosts of a feminist podcast about the candidates and their views. In doing so, she helped female voters determine who truly prioritised their interests. “The position of women is never discussed in politics”, says Suzie. 

But that’s not all. She founded a feminist women’s collective, together with three other Cameroonian women: Anne Ayimbo, Lindsay Njonger and Chelsea Mouto. The collective, Femme et Politique 237, consists of women who are originally from Cameroon but live elsewhere, like herself, as well as women who still live in the country. “That latter group of women risk their lives every day”, says Suzie. “In Cameroon, it is still incredibly dangerous to speak out as a feminist. I deeply respect their courage.”’

Following the 2025 elections, the incumbent president was re-elected. Due to suspicious circumstances surrounding the results, civil unrest broke out in Douala, Cameroon’s largest city.

“The main opposition leader, who called on the public to protest against the alleged electoral fraud, could have foreseen the authorities’ violent response”, says Suzie. “But he did not take sufficient measures to ensure the safety of civilians.”

That made her furious. In Cameroon, there is no reliable emergency number. If someone is shot or injured, they have to hope that there is a doctor nearby or someone who can take them to a hospital. 

Femme et Politique 237 stepped in. The women used Twitter to call on doctors, nurses and members of the public to help. “Twelve medical professionals volunteered”, she explains. “We then quickly set up a helpline. Injured members of the public could contact us via Telegram and were then put in touch with the nearest doctor.”

Suzie emphasises that they did their best to help, but that their collective is small. “We tried to save lives”, she says. “But the scale and intensity of the violence, combined with our limited resources, meant our options were also limited.” She therefore wants to further improve the system and prepare it for future emergencies.

Although Suzie considers herself lucky to live in the relatively safe Netherlands, she remains committed to the safety of women and other minorities in Cameroon. “It keeps me up at night”, she says. “But by helping them, I feel a little better. I may not live to see the necessary changes myself, but I believe they are possible.”

Text: Caya Forman
Photography: Joris Hilterman