About thirty female employees of SOCAPALM gathered in Dibombari from November 11 to 13, 2026, to celebrate two decades of service. Known proudly as the Amazons of Dibombari, the women organized their own milestone celebration revisiting their early days at the company’s rubber-tapping school through simulated hiring sessions, field visits, and live tapping demonstrations. Festivities opened on Wednesday, November 11, with a focus on community pride and employee welfare. The Amazons began the morning by refurbishing the plantation’s administrative premises before attending a roundtable discussion on “Violence in the Workplace.” Moderated by Sandrine Nseke, Administrative Assistant in Human Resources (AARH) at Dibombari, the session highlighted SOCAPALM’s commitment to a safe working environment. “We categorized workplace violence into five main forms: physical, verbal, psychological, sexual, and economic,” Nseke explained. “When every worker understands that their rights end where another’s begin, violence is prevented.” Dr. Eyoum Carole of the Dibombari Medical Center reinforced the urgency of early intervention, noting that workplace violence creates a “vicious cycle” affecting mental concentration, physical health, and family income. “Overcoming this means training workers, teams, and managers alike to recognize the signs early and address them at the root,” she said. On Thursday, November 12, action moved to Tilo Stadium for a football match between the Amazons of Dibombari and SOCAPALM’s General Management women’s team. Dibombari Plantation Director Julien Pascal joined the players on the pitch in an electric atmosphere. “The Amazons have shown tremendous resilience, courage, and adaptability across our sites in Kienké, Dibombari, and Mbongo especially when pioneering a new crop like Hevea (rubber),” Director Pascal said after the match. The local Amazons clinched victory in a 5–3 penalty shootout. Visiting goalkeeper Helen praised the competition, admitting, “We didn’t realize we were going to face such a formidable side! Working on our stamina will be our top priority before the next rematch.” The celebration concluded on Friday, November 13, beginning with a thanksgiving Mass and culminating in an evening gala at the Socapalm Club alongside visiting delegations from Mbongo and Kienké.
Addressing the crowd, Amazons President Mrs. Jeannette Elong recounted their journey since 32 women launched the Hevea project in 2006 from preparing nurseries and grafting seedlings to tapping trees in 2011. While celebrating their legacy as the “founding mothers of Hevea cultivation at SOCAPALM,” she voiced a plea for career growth: “After 20 years of loyal service, most of us remain confined to lower socio-professional classifications between Categories 2 and 3. Given our hard-earned expertise, the Amazons hope to see greater recognition through supervisory roles and leadership opportunities.” Amazon member Mrs. Etondi expressed gratitude for the stability the company has provided, noting that the women have supported their families, educated their children, and earned service medals. “After celebrating these 20 years, we return to work with pride and we look forward to celebrating 25, or even 30 years together!” she shared. With a ceremonial cake cutting, banquet, humorous skits, and karaoke, the three-day celebration closed on a high note, marking a promising new chapter for the Amazons of Dibombari.
Leave a Reply