Azah Jackline Chey is a female legal scholar; holder of a Masters Degree in International Law; today specialized in Agribusiness and Real Estate Management. Jackline is equally a Poetess and a Gender Activist who is working to address gender inequality in Cameroon.

Jackline is a 2022 World of Difference Award (WODA) recipient. This International Award that was received in Washington DC in recognition of her work in the area of economic empowerment of women in Cameroon under the non-profit category was awarded by The International Alliance for Women (TIAW).

She grew up in a rural community and particularly in a polygamous family with harsh cultural beliefs that do not value girls/women. After losing her father at the age of 07, she was mistreated by her step brothers who prevented her from benefitting from her late father’s seemingly rich estate on the simple grounds that she was a girl child and had no importance whatsoever. Faced with this unfortunate and difficult situation; she had to work in the farm at that very tender age to assist her mother cater for her basic needs and equally footed the bills for her primary; secondary and university education alongside three other siblings of hers. Today, she is a successful woman thanks to her commitment towards agriculture. Jackline is therefore empathetic in assisting other vulnerable women and girls in her community to trace a successful path through agriculture and other business strategies. 

Azah Jackline Chey is an Angripreneur since childhood; she co-founded and is the Coordinator of Bridgers Association Cameroon. Bridgers Association is a non-profit Organization, founded in 2013 and has over 40 members and 67 volunteers worldwide. Jackline realized that within her Cameroonian society; the Government and private sectors provide very limited employment opportunities to graduates especially the women folk; talk less of the uneducated underprivileged women who have families to cater for, as such, Jackline saw this as a leadership opportunity to work towards narrowing the gender economic gap by building the capacities of women to become successful in business. Prior to her creation of Bridgers Association, Azah Jackline volunteered with a nongovernmental organization known as Modern Advocacy Humanitarian Social and Rehabilitation Association (MAHSRA) for 02 years: 2010- 2012 during which she worked as a program assistant of the women economic empowerment unit. Jackline therefore has to her credit over 10 years of experience in the field of women economic empowerment/entrepreneurship.

Under Jackline’s coordination, Bridgers Association has empowered thousands of vulnerable women (including Internally Displaced Women; Indigenous Mborroro Women and Indigenous Baka/Bantu Pygmy Women) and assisted them in to starting up independent businesses and commercial farms. Jackline’s work to lead vulnerable women in to economic resilience has been amplified with the establishment of a Resource Farm through which women and girls acquire skills on sustainable commercial agriculture. This farm equally serves as a seed bank for vulnerable women to equip them with the required seedlings to start up their own individual farms upon completion of their training. The Bridgers Farms spreading over 05 acres of land has on it a variety of food crops/vegetables and economic trees. Creating this farm and working towards meeting its ultimate goals has been instrumental in propelling the economic empowerment of over 250 women. Thanks to Bridgers efforts 96% of beneficiary women have attested to the improvement of their businesses while 98% of Bridgers members/volunteers have vouched for the expansion of their leadership development. Bridgers Association’s 10-year strategic plan is to increase The Bridgers Farms to over 100 acres and build partnerships/networks that will scale the impact of their women economic empowerment program by providing women with training and startup capital.