Every organisation has a first day. Ours began with a hall in Bamenda booked weeks in advance by our founder Yekov Cindy and team members Soh Juvitus Leong and Lem Meklia, a roll-up banner bearing our vision, "A world where every young person thrives and transforms communities", and a room that filled up with young people.
Casting the vision
Cindy opened by sharing why the foundation exists: to empower youth, promote gender equality, advocate for the rights of the girl child and support single mothers. Then she handed the microphone to people who live that mission every day.
The speakers
- Lem Meklia, development communicator and advocate for the inclusive participation of persons with disability
- Sengka S. Elvis, business idea validation expert, President of ICDEEH and Regional Coordinator of the Association of Cameroon Entrepreneurs
- Lukong Anne, software engineer and advocate for women in tech
- Nde Vitalis Tangeh, gender and protection officer and disability-focused advocate
The panel
Moderated by Ndifon Rene, the panel brought together Prof. Fai Lilian W., educational psychologist and chair of the Department of Guidance and Counselling at the University of Bamenda; Dr Pascalin Ndukum, Head of Department at the National Higher Polytechnic Institute, University of Bamenda; Akuo Gideon, proprietor of Keep the Faith Nursery and Primary School; and Soh Juvitus L., co-founder and CEO of Skye8.
The questions from the floor were the best part: young people asking how to find a trade, how to stay in school, how to be taken seriously. Those questions became our programmes.
Thank you to everyone who filled that room. You started something.
