Cameroon:Foretia Foundation SBEC Empowers Youths with Income-Generating Skills.

SBEC seeks to equip women and youth is the appropriate skills that will allow them to meet their livelihood needs and enable them to be more viable in the host communities

By Boris Esono Nwenfor

BUEA, Cameroon – The idea that many youths in Cameroon have is that they should be employed by the government or get white-collar jobs. But the basic fact is that the government can't employ everyone, and so much training from the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Center (SBEC) of the Denis and Lenora Foretia Foundation is ever so important.

The training on April 4-5 in Buea, South West region saw the youths trained on how to produce savon, powder soap, hair oil, Vaseline, and balm among others and also how to brand and market them to the customers. This training falls within the powering prosperity and economic freedom program of the Foretia Foundation that is running for the next three years.

"18 months into the project, we want to empower women, and youths to be self-employed. We started with the North West and now we are in the South West, we are going to continue with other regions because the idea is that we are leaving no one behind,” Desmond Kum, SBEC Assistant told Pan African Visions.

“By 2035, every Cameroonian should be self-sufficient. We are going to keep empowering them and make sure that we create other opportunities for youths, women and internally displaced persons as well in the South West and the other regions."

Desmond Kum added: “The targets of the training are youths, women, young girls and those who are not employed and have the skills. Those who are unskilled, we want to make sure that they gain these skills so that they could be able to fend for themselves.”

Income-generating skills (IGS) have been given great importance in the socio-economic and human development programs and strategies of African countries, as they contribute not only to poverty reduction but also to the economic inclusion of a large part of the population that is excluded from the economic system.

Nkwelle Samuel, a participant said: “It is quite very encouraging and very good. We have gathered how to produce Omo and Savon; it is quite helpful because it can reduce costs at home. You can also use the skills to earn a better income.”

“This training is an answer to my dreams. I have always wanted to do something, especially Omo and I have been trying to do a lot of research and I did not know how to go about it. Luckily I came in contact with this training. I asked a lot of questions because it would be beneficial not just to my household but also to make a living or if possible, to make employment from it."

The creation of micro-enterprises through income-generating activities has a major impact on a country’s economy. In Cameroon, 90% of the workforce is employed in the informal sector, which contributes more than 57% of the country’s GDP. The youth unemployment rate in Cameroon was 7% in 2022, compared to 6.43% in 2018.

The majority of youth and women in Cameroon are unemployed or employed in small businesses. The poverty rate in Cameroon continues to rise, especially among youth between the ages of 18 and 35, which is alarming.

Randibella Mazahka, participating in such training for the first time said SBEC did not make a mistake in organizing such because the content was very rich. She said: “I never expected I was coming to learn such things. The session was important as it taught me how to be self-employed, and how to do something that could help me, without depending on somebody. I thank the organizers (SBEC) for such a vital training that is needed by many youths today."

About SBEC

The Small Business and Entrepreneurship Centre (SBEC) was founded by the Denis & Lenora Foretia Foundation to support SMEs across the country and to promote business-friendly policies that stimulate innovation and job creation. Through the SBEC Network, member SMEs receive training and administrative support to increase productivity and efficiency.