WhatsApp Groups; New Form of Social Security

WhatsApp Groups; New Form of Social Security

WhatsApp was founded in 2009 by Brian Acton and Jan Koum, former employees of Yahoo! Koum named the app WhatsApp to sound like "What's Up" indicating it's intended usage, for chatting. WhatsApp is the most popular messaging app in over a hundred countries, according to Android device usage data. It allows you to send messages, pictures, videos and even voice recordings over the internet.

According to 99Firms.com, WhatsApp 2019: Stats and Facts show that WhatsApp has 1.5 billion active users in over 180 countries. The average user checks WhatsApp more than 23 times per day. 58% of users access WhatsApp several times per day. WhatsApp is the third most downloaded Android app in the world. WhatsApp is banned in 12 countries. Internet Live Stats estimates the Cameroonian population having access to the web  to be at 4.3 million people (out of 22 million inhabitants).

In 2015, a good chunk of the Cameroonian population most especially the youths became versed with WhatsApp following the introduction of 3G and 4G networks by mobile operators in the country thus simplifying access to the internet. When many users especially those who just bought new android phones became versed with how to create a WhatsApp group, a new trend ensued. Users started creating groups out of excitement and for adventure, adding members even without their consent to such groups. At some point in time it became a nuisance as users kept finding themselves in funny WhatsApp groups they couldn't identify themselves with. And so within ten minutes for example, 10 new persons will be added at the very time when 7 are leaving the group.

People left because they weren't consulted before being added, because the groups hadn't defined objectives or they couldn't identify themselves with the members and those that had laid down rules kept facing a major setback of the rules being broken by some recalcitrant members. Of recent, the phenomenon of creating WhatsApp groups and adding people to it has reduced.

Nowadays, it is assumed that there exist hundreds of thousands of WhatsApp groups for all walks of life: journalists, teachers, medics, lawyers, associations, churches, political parties and any other professional field one can think of. Even families now have WhatsApp groups in which family issues are discussed. Unfortunately, most  professional groups have been converted to chat groups. Even when there are calls for order to reign, such calls are often discarded. It is for this reason that in a journalism, medical, sporting, teaching group for example, often one will anxiously go online to check for latest gists only to find hundreds of unread messages which upon reading through, very little will be found concerning the profession. Instead, it will be realised that few persons had been chatting or quarreling in the group on issues that don't even concern the profession and piling up messages.

On the other hand, there are WhatsApp groups that are really meeting up with their objectives. In such, professional problems are shared and solutions provided. New discoveries and latest information concerning the profession are also shared for members to learn. It is certain these days that belonging to a WhatsApp group is seemingly unavoidable. Once you have an android phone plus internet access, be rest assured to find yourself added into a group or creating yours.

Wikipedia defines social security as "any government system that provides monetary assistance to people with an inadequate or no income." Social security may also refer to the action programs of an organization intended to promote the welfare of the population through assistance measures guaranteeing access to sufficient resources for food and shelter and to promote health and well-being for the population at large and potentially vulnerable segments such as children, the elderly, the sick and the unemployed.

Within the past years, several WhatsApp groups have been providing social security to members and non members through financial and material contributions to celebrate marriages, births, graduations etc and mourn with the bereaved, some of whom have benefited hundreds of thousands from group members. Some groups have been carrying out humanitarian responsibilities where needy cases in the society are identified, brought to the group and members contribute money to rescue the situation.

In a sports WhatsApp group like YOSA OYE AHEAD AHEAD fans and supporters of the lone division 1 club from the North West Region, Young Sports Academy have been contributing money to support their darling team. In journalism groups like Media People Bamenda MPB, Journalists of Integrity, CAMASEJ North West etc, huge amounts of money have in the past been contributed by members to support the burial, wedding or bereavement of one of theirs. Even flagship radio talkshow programs like Press & Associates aired weekly on Ndefcam Radio Bamenda on July 3rd 2019 donated a cash sum of 342.000F to the management of the Bamenda Regional Hospital as its own effort to support the  maintenance and sustainability of the recently constructed VIP modern toilets in the hospital. This  whopping amount was raised through the program's WhatsApp group coupled with other channels.

Nowadays, almost every ex student association of every school has a WhatsApp group, batch by batch. In these groups like SHESA, SABESA, LESA, SOBA, PEMEXSA, BOBA, SAJESA etc, hundreds of thousands and even millions have constantly been raised to support their alma mater, organise parties, reunions and support mates in need.

Often than not, the financial contributions are hardly ever done by up to half of the group members but the credits reaped from the positive  outcome of the gesture are often enjoyed by the entire group. The total amounts contributed are often juicy and if 3/4 of group members were to chip in their tokens, most WhatsApp groups would've been providing social security to members and non members worth hundreds of thousands and millions. Some would've been realising multimillion worth projects on the field.

On Saturday the 11th of August 2018, two nurses, Azah Nancy (wife) and Njong Padisco (husband) were murdered in Nyen village in Mbengwi central sub division and accusing fingers were pointed at government soldiers. Before being killed, the wife was pregnant and the couple left behind five children, now orphans. One year after, to mark their memorial, a WhatsApp news group Mbengwi Online through Mobile Money contributions from members raised over a hundred thousand Francs to support the education of the kids that are now without parents. This is just one of the several humanitarian works most WhatsApp groups have been carrying out.

Bakah Derick is a Bamenda based journalist. Just like any other user of social media, he belongs to several WhatsApp groups that have been of great impact to members and the society at large. Talking about the concrete realisations carried by some of the groups to which he belong, he said "WhatsApp Groups have been a great resource. I am into some serious media  professional groups in which we discuss work related issues but I have noticed a new trend with people contributing to assist others get healthcare services or during weddings. Though these contributions use to sound like freewill, I just noticed of late that people complain if the group doesn't  contribute for them when they are sick or lost someone. I have never benefited, I don't expect it though but for those who complain I think they see these groups as a source of social security."

It is for this assured social security provision that some members enjoy belonging to certain WhatsApp groups for no one knows tomorrow as they may in turn be the ones to enjoy benefits like hospital bills payment, school fees payment just to name these few after having contributed for others.