Elove Marie-Cleophas Messanga promotes products via livestreaming in Buea, the chief town of the Southwest Region, Cameroon, on Sept. 20, 2025. (Photo by Muleng Timngum/Xinhua)
by Arison Tamfu
When day breaks in Cameroon, Elove Marie-Cleophas Messanga stands in front of her cellphone camera and ring light to promote products via livestreaming on her TikTok account, occasionally responding to inquiries from potential customers in the chat.
"I sell on TikTok in the morning and in the evening. When you purchase goods from me, I label your name, location, and address, and send the items out the following morning. Once they arrive, you must confirm that you've received them," Messanga said.
It has become a daily routine for the 24-year-old, who is now living her entrepreneurial dream by harnessing the power of Chinese online shopping platforms.
In 2016, Messanga and her family were affected by the persistent crisis in Cameroon's two English-speaking regions of Northwest and Southwest, where separatists have been clashing with government forces in an attempt to secede from the French-majority Cameroon and create an independent nation.
In late 2017, they left their village of Bafia to seek refuge in Buea, the chief town of the Southwest Region, which was considered safer.
"When I came to Buea, I continued my studies, and after graduating, I learned hairdressing. But I soon realized that almost everyone wanted to do hairdressing, and after standing for hours braiding hair, you might make only 10,000 XAF (about 17.7 U.S. dollars) a day," she said.
Life was difficult because the income from hairdressing could not cover her needs or those of her younger siblings, who had been displaced with her. She took on odd jobs, but none offered a stable career path.
Through a friend, Messanga discovered abundant business opportunities in cross-border e-commerce. She immediately went online and began buying children's clothing from China.
She said shopping on Chinese online platforms is "convenient and helps me reach potential customers quickly."
"Chinese online shopping gives people the opportunity to start a business with whatever capital they have -- even with just 50,000 XAF," Messanga said. "China can produce large quantities of goods in various styles and designs. Chinese products are of good quality and affordable."
Messanga said since she began buying from China online, she has made a "reasonable" profit that enables her to support some of her younger siblings' needs.
For many young people in Cameroon, Chinese online shopping is no longer a novelty. They scroll through apps and click "buy" as easily as they check messages, tracking deliveries that travel thousands of kilometers to reach them.
"People find physical shopping tiring and time-consuming. Since Cameroon has a young population, interest in online shopping is growing. Importantly, this trend has empowered young women, enabling them to earn a decent living with dignity," said Cameroonian economist Victor Arrey.
When Xinhua visited Messanga's shop in Buea, she was busy packing clothes to send to her buyers. Next to her stood two customers who had come to make a purchase. Most of her customers, she said, were online buyers.
Messanga expressed gratitude to China for making online shopping easy and affordable, and emphasized the importance of China continuing to open up to empower young women like herself.
"I would love to go to China to see the markets, build contacts, and strong relationships with suppliers. There are many products I would like to buy from China. I want to become a distributor in different cities in Cameroon," she added. -
Elove Marie-Cleophas Messanga makes online purchases and arranges shipments from a Chinese company on her phone in Buea, the chief town of the Southwest Region, Cameroon, on Sept. 20, 2025. (Photo by Muleng Timngum/Xinhua)
Elove Marie-Cleophas Messanga browses Chinese online vending platforms on her phone to find items requested by clients in Buea, the chief town of the Southwest Region, Cameroon, on Sept. 20, 2025. (Photo by Muleng Timngum/Xinhua)
Elove Marie-Cleophas Messanga (R) displays clothes and shoes sourced from Chinese online platforms to people on a street in Buea, the chief town of the Southwest Region, Cameroon, on Sept. 20, 2025. (Photo by Muleng Timngum/Xinhua)
