Christelle, Driving Change
She doesn’t just drive a bus, she leads the way.
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When Christelle finally turns off the engine of the Girls’ Movement Caravan bus on July 31st, after hundreds of kilometers across five regions of Cameroon, she feels immense relief. Not relief that it’s over, but that everything went smoothly, no accidents, no incidents, with professionalism and passion. Because beyond the driving, this journey was a revelation.
Christelle wasn’t just a driver. She was a trailblazer, a big sister, a listening ear, an unexpected role model for the hundreds of girls she met along the way. In this bus, which became a symbol of freedom and hope, she carried more than passengers, she carried stories, confessions, broken dreams, and dreams in the making. “Driving the caravan was more than transportation. It was about carrying the voices of girls and listening to what they had never dared to say,” she confides.
An Inspiring Pioneer in a Male-Dominated Profession
Christelle never waited for permission. She paved her own way literally. From a young age, she dreamed of independence. She became a student in building electricity, a travel agency promoter, and then a driving instructor at a school she founded before turning 20. A boss who trains other women to drive, who challenges norms, and who eventually, almost by chance became a driver for the United Nations.
In the caravan, her role took on a new dimension. “Everywhere we went, girls looked at me with surprise. You’re the one driving the bus? Yes, it’s me. And then I saw their eyes light up.”
Invited to speak during educational talks, she shared her journey, her beginnings, her doubts, and her determination. “I told them: there’s no job reserved for men. If I could do it, so can you.”
Everywhere we went, girls looked at me with surprise. You’re the one driving the bus? Yes, it’s me. And then I saw their eyes light up
And then there were all those silent but powerful gestures, climbing alone onto the roof of the bus to unload luggage, kneeling in the dust to fasten a strap, or even sliding under the vehicle to change a flat tire without waiting for help. These scenes, sometimes captured unexpectedly by girls or colleagues, impressed more than a thousand speeches. “She didn’t just drive, she did everything,” said those who accompanied her.
A Life-Changing Human Experience
The caravan deeply impacted Christelle. It was marked by a warm and supportive atmosphere. She thought she was just coming to drive, but she left transformed. She saw, heard, and lived realities she hadn’t imagined, girls left to fend for themselves, jokes, team feedback, and especially moments of exchange with the youth. She was moved by their eloquence, maturity, and ability to express painful truths.
In Dschang, she heard heartbreaking stories of girls forced into degrading acts to survive. These stories left a deep mark and strengthened her commitment. “I realized there’s a world I didn’t know. And sometimes, just listening can change everything.”
These moments of listening, joking, and sharing, in the bus or during discussion circles, also reinforced her personal convictions. “I’m a mother, and I understood that I need to communicate better with my children, break certain barriers.”
The caravan’s atmosphere? “It was unique. A real family. Team feedback, laughter, silent moments after a difficult story, knowing glances… I grew. There was a Christelle before, and now there’s a Latifa after.”
What’s Next?
The Caravan planted a new seed in her. Christelle now wants to go further, to get involved in supporting girls, training, inspiring, mentoring. Not just driving a bus, but paving the road for change. She’s convinced that women belong everywhere, and that nothing should be considered “extraordinary” about a woman driving or running a business.
For her, the Girls’ Movement has become a compass, reminding her why she chose the road, why she never gave up her place, even in a profession wrongly seen as male-only. By driving the caravan, she didn’t just accompany a movement, she became part of it. “I saw strong, brilliant girls full of dreams. And if, just by being myself, I gave them a little courage, then I fulfilled my mission.”
