Alma Mata Outreach Activities

In line with the US State Department’s commitment continually support and promote the community interventions of alumni of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, the US Embassy in Yaoundé funded a series of activities aimed at:

• Increasing the visibility of the developmental activities being carried out Mandela Washington Fellows across the country, and strengthening collaborations and partnerships with the other components of the YALI program (YALI Regional Centres and the YALI Network). 
• Maintaining peace and security in Cameroon by organizing peace building activities, denouncing and eliminating social, ethnic and religious factions, and promoting diversity as a tool for sustainable development in Cameroon.
• Promoting the values of democracy by organising campaigns to strengthen democratic institutions, encourage civic awareness and reduce human rights abuses. Fellows will be at the forefront of initiatives to increase youth civic participation and advocate for more inclusion and transparency in governance. 
• Promoting a favourable business environment which encourages entrepreneurship and assists youths to create jobs and reduce youth unemployment.

The Alma Mater Outreach is built around mentorship and experience sharing. As MWF fellows, we have been opportune to witness the American value of mentorship and to appreciate the benefits of this practice in fostering personal and professional growth and development. It targeted adolescents and young adults in high schools or universities, who would constitute the main workforce for the future and will benefit the most from coaching and mentoring by MWF Alumni. The interventions involved; motivational talks, experience sharing and introduction to the YALI Network. The aim was to reach at least 200 youths, create YALI clubs in all the schools and mentor 50 Young African Leaders.

ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT

ADAMAWA REGION

On Friday 17th of May, 2019 a team of three YALI alumni of the Regional Leadership Centres came together to talk to students Lycee Moderne Technique de Ngaoundere. The team consisted of; Rekiatu Musa Jingi (YALI RLC Accra 2018), Mohamadou Bello (YALI CRL Dakar 2017), and Lea Rosine Djoussi (YALI CRL Dakar). The session targeted girls and boys in the final year of high school. The theme of the session was “STEM FOR GENDER EMPOWERMENT” and the objective was to provide guidance and advocacy for girls and women to engage with and pursue careers in STEM.

CENTRE REGION

On the 3rd May 2019 a team of five YALI alumni of both the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Regional Leadership centre and YALI network and some volunteers came together to talk to students of the Lay Private School ‘’Les Pigeons’’, Yaounde.  The spoke to students from form one to upper sixth about drug use and abuse, career orientation after school and how to create a YALI club. The team consisted of: Dr Mbock M Imelda (MWF 2018), Mr Kaddanga Arsene (YALI RLC), Dr Ngono Glwadys (YALI RLC), Mrs Tantoh Sheila (YALI RLC), Mr Ejoh Nfor (YALI RLC), Mr Jude Achiageonzoh (MWF 2018). 

FAR NORTH REGION

On Monday, 22nd of April 2019 a team of five YALI alumni of both the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Regional Leadership centre and the YALI network came together to talk to students at the Zouvoul High School (Lycée de Zouvoul), in the Hina sub-division of the Mayo Tsanaga division. The team consisted of: Minda Virginie Danwe (Public Management-Bridgewater State University), Bainamndi Daliwa Joseph (Business and Entrepreneurship-Purdue University), Djanabou Yasmine (Business and Entrepreneurship - YALI Dakar, Cohort 14), Ayong Maximilian Diobe (YALI Ghana, Cohort 7), and Triumphant Thulang (YALI - Dakar). The session targeted students in the final classes of the high school, teachers and the administration. The objective was to strengthen their ability to identify community needs and provide innovative solutions to poverty and unemployment.

LITTORAL REGION

On Tuesday 21/05/2019, a team of two YALI alumni of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, two volunteers came together to talk to students of the Laval Bilingual College Douala under the theme “Every Second Counts”. The team consisted of Atim Mbah Patience (MWF 2017), Ngweka Queen Asanji (MWF 2018), Martha A. Besong (volunteer) and Primos M Kenah (volunteer). The event brought together 60 lower sixth students in the college. The objective was to inspire the students to volunteer and serve their communities by sharing their stories how they got involved in Social entrepreneurship and community development, and the experience and knowledge from the Mandela Washington Fellowship.

WEST REGION

On Friday 24th May 2019, a team of five Alumni of the Regional Leadership programs came together to talk to students at the Government Bilingual High School Sultan Ibrahim Njoya of Foumban (LYBISIN). The team consisted of; Eraste Fouda (RLC YALI GHANA Session 8), Ghislain Fonou (RLC YALI DAKAR Session 13), Marcelle Voumo (RLC YALI DAKAR Session 13), Roukhaya Traore (RLC YALI DAKAR Session 13), Stella Tchoukep (RLC YALI DAKAR Session 13), Berlise Djieya (RLC YALI DAKAR Session 13).

The Alma Mata outreach activities were a remarkable success in all the regions where they were implemented. A total of over 400 students were directly positively impacted though this project. Five YALI clubs were created in 5 different colleges and it is our hope that these will serve as relay points and information centres where other youths could learn about the YALI programs in Cameroon and be inspired to be agents of change in their respective communities.

The participants greatly appreciated the Alma Mata projects and several of them requested that such initiatives be multiplied across the country to reach an even greater number of youths.