Cameroon. Youth Development Programs for Integration in the Agricultural Sector (EFA).

Promoter: CNEFAC - Coordination Nationale des Ecoles Familiales Agricoles du Cameroun pour la Promotion Sociale
Duration: 1 year
Cost: € 20,000

Context:
Half the population in Cameroon lives off agriculture, a sector that has enormous potential that has widely gone unexplored and which could offer secure jobs for young people who, lacking other alternatives, are forced to emigrate to the cities with the risk of becoming marginalized. Yet young people lack quality training courses and are poorly equipped for this type of work. In light of this problem, families are increasingly becoming more aware of their need to actively participate in the education of their children. A need that gave rise to the “EFA –Family Agricultural Training School” networks in the early 1990s.

Objective:
In general, the project aims at easing the integration of young workers into the agricultural sector by improving training programs in line with the “alternation method” of the Family Agricultural Training School (EFA). This method “alternates” in-class theoretical sessions with “on-hands” practice in agricultural companies and calls for active participation on behalf of the parents in deciding on and designing the “theory” and “practice” parts of the programs. The initiative intends to improve training programs for 240 parents in 6 different EFAs in order to make them better able to follow their children’s studies during the “alternation period”, technically, materially and morally-speaking. At the same time, the project allows for the creation of 6 experimental fields to be practiced on. Revenues from the sales of products cultivated in the fields will contribute to the continuous financing of the chosen EFA networks. This initiative takes into consideration 10 regions in Cameroon, particularly the three provinces in the Grand North- Adamaoua, the North and the Extreme North.

Recipients:
- 240 families in 6 different EFAs;
- 2,000 young people between the ages of 13-19.

Approx. 14,000 people in the concerned areas will indirectly benefit from the program’s activities.

Local partner:Education Coalition and Santé pour Tous-CEST
Duration:1 year
Cost:40,000

Background: Les Hauts-Plateaux is comprised mostly of farmers who have little land and few technical skills. Logone and Chari are among the poorest regions in the country. Both zones are characterized by their inadequate education system, including a serious lack of qualified teachers, equipment and supplies. A primary school education ends with many students still unable to read, write and do the most elementary mathematical calculations in a satisfactory manner.

Objective: While the goal is to improve the quality of education for nearly 1000 children in the affected areas, the immediate objective will be to provide 275 teachers in 10 different schools with the necessary professional formation to begin to effect change. In addition, pedagogy manuals will be created and distributed to an additional 1,000 educators and also made available on the CEST website. A school book distribution plan will be established to furnish 1185 books to more than 600 children of families with the most serious needs. Finally, scholarships will be awarded to 100 top students by year-end.

Beneficiaries:
-275 professors who will assist in the formation courses.
-100 students who will benefit from the scholarships
-600 children who will benefit from the school books distributed.
-All those who will have a free use of the pedagogical manuals.

Vocational and human training for young women coming form the marginalized environment

Promoted by: Association for the promotion of the woman (APF)
Duration: 1 year
Harambee contribution: 30,000 euros

The human development index places Cameroon at 144th out of 177 countries with a life expectancy of 49 years. The weight of unemployment in the urban area is 49 percent for women. The level of school going is 50 percent at the primary level and drops to 35 percent for secondary level. Among the priorities of the central government there is the improvement of the human resources, indispensible for the revitalization of the private sector and for the improvement of the governance and of a sustainable home grown development.

Objective:
To contribute to the improvement of the socio-economic level of the young Cameroon women coming from the margins. The project, which will last for 1 year, will support the Centre of Vocational Training for the Women of Sorawell in strengthening their professional level in order to enter the labour market. The courses will involve 33 young women.

For further information:

Mise en place du personnel et matériels pédagogiques pour les programmes d’informatique

Local Entity :
Centre de Formation Professionnelle pour la Femme Sorawell.
Duration: 1 year
Harambee contribution: 39,624.55


Description of the project :

The general objective is to improve the professional formation of the students of the “Sorawell Centre for Professional Formation for Women” through the donation of equipment and provision of educational funding for computer studies. For this purpose, the main programme has already been adapted to the needs of the pupils and it is thus necessary to purchase the required computer tools and equipment. Preparatory courses for instructors who will evaluate the progress of the students have also been provided for.

Cours de santé en milieu rural

Local Entity :
Centre puor la Promotion Sociale (CEPS)
Synthetic data of the project
Harambee contribution : € 39.514,60
Contribution from local entity : € 4.345,00
Project duration : 1 year

The project enabled the inhabitants of Nkolnda, Makandan I, II, and III, Minkam, and Odza to benefit from awareness-raising days and courses in primary health care and hygiene. Additionally, large groups of mothers and children have received basic training in the correct use of toothbrushes and the use of drinking-water in areas of water scarcity.

Description of the project

The project aimed to respond to the needs arising from the situation of the Centre for Health Orientation (Centre d’Orientation Sanitaire or COS), as the only health centre in an area suffering from widespread ignorance and taboos. In this context, there is also a constant need for health teachers. This provision enabled the inhabitants of the area around the COS – a population of around 2,000 people, with 45% aged under 20, living in the zones of Nkolnda, Mehandan I, II and III, Mindam and Odza – to receive basic health education to enable them to improve their quality of life, raise standards of personal and community hygiene, achieve a balanced diet, etc. in order to reduce the prevalence of infectious diseases caused by various deficiencies.