Cameroon: Young Leaders Applaud Transformative Experience at 2025 Emerging Leaders Program

By Ngunyi Sonita Ngunyi

YAOUNDE, Cameroon – Twenty young visionaries have concluded a transformative three-day leadership training under the 2025 Emerging Leaders Program, organised by the Nkafu Policy Institute, a Think Tank of the Denis and Lenora Foretia Foundation in Yaoundé. The intensive programme aimed to equip the next generation of changemakers with the tools, knowledge, and networks to become effective leaders in their communities and across the continent.

For three days, the selected participants were immersed in interactive sessions on ethical governance, navigating organisational crises, developing personal brand, communicating for impact, women's leadership, civic responsibility, and political participation, among others.

Leadership As a Communication Skill

Anthony Anthem, Head of Conflict Prevention and Analysis at the Foretia Foundation, stressed the indispensability of communication in leadership. “Equipping leaders without communication skills is like putting ink to paper with no message to share,” he remarked.

His training focused on empowering participants to articulate their ideas with clarity, confidence, and purpose. This session left a lasting impression on several participants, including Fon Jephthah Asobo, MEAL Officer at Revive Action Cameroon from the South West Region:

“I’m leaving this program not only with knowledge but with the confidence to take action, as transferring the knowledge gained from here will equip other leaders around me.”

Fon noted that the communication session reshaped how he plans to share ideas and mobilise others, calling the experience “life-changing, especially when they were drilled on emotional intelligence, and this has shaped his way of handling organisational crises with staff.”

Leadership is both Inborn and Acquired

Professor Jean Emmanuel Pondi, Vice Chancellor of ICT University, inspired participants with his insight into the nature of leadership. “Leadership is both learned and inborn,” he said. “If you’re determined to lead well, you must harness your natural abilities and commit to lifelong learning.” His words encouraged the young leaders to take charge of their growth while remaining open to mentorship and feedback.

Laying emphasis on creating impact in life, he reiterated that all leaders must cultivate visions to properly have a well-drafted plan for execution. “A leader must have vision, courage, self-audacity, empathy for those around you and determination to transform Cameroon in particular and the world in general," he advised.

Using prominent African Icons like Dr Martin Luther King's stories to encourage these emerging leaders was pivotal. “These people are not dead; if they were, we would not be speaking about them 40 years or 50 years after. If you want to remain immortal, it has to be because of the impacts you created, so it was important to use realistic experiences to create a sense of belonging,” he explained.

Women and Mentorship in Leadership

Renowned activist Maximilienne Ngo Mbe tackled the challenges faced by young women in leadership. “Women, especially the young, need encouragement just as much as they need integrity, audacity and humility,” she explained. She emphasised the importance of mentorship and role models, noting that, “models are one of the fundamentals of good leadership because we women often don’t have them, encouraging all women and emerging women leaders to get mentors for themselves as it is of good importance to have one.”

One of the high points of the program was a stimulating debate themed “Youth Participation in Electoral Processes: A Strategic Issue or a Myth in Cameroon?” As the country approaches a critical electoral year, participants explored the obstacles and opportunities for young people to engage meaningfully in democratic processes. The session encouraged civic consciousness and advocacy for greater youth inclusion in national decision-making.

A Year of Leadership in Action

Beyond the workshop sessions, the Emerging Leaders will now embark on a year-long engagement with the Denis and Lenora Foretia Foundation, during which their leadership activities will be monitored and supported. This post-program tracking aims to ensure that the lessons learnt are transformed into tangible, community-based outcomes.

Nde Laura Ngwe, Program Associate, Action for Development and Empowerment, ADF Yaoundé, shared how the program reshaped her understanding of leadership: She said, “Leadership is not about occupying positions but about taking responsibility and influencing people positively.”

She added: “This program has impacted me positively, especially the session on advocacy and policy brief has improved my knowledge on how to conduct advocacy briefs. I’ve learnt that leadership can be developed through training and exposure. I leave here informed, transformed, and empowered. I'm going back home with a renewed mindset, ready to make an impact."

At the close of the programme, each of the participants was awarded a Certificate of Participation, recognising their dedication and active involvement throughout the training. The certification ceremony served as both a celebration and a poignant reminder of the responsibilities that come with leadership.

“This program has changed the way I see leadership,” said Welisane Bone., Program Manager at Led by a Girl Initiative. “It’s no longer about titles but about using your voice and actions to create lasting change.”

For Fon, the experience was equally impactful: “This is the kind of education we don’t get in some leadership programs. I now feel more empowered and prepared to serve.”

With the successful conclusion of the 2025 Emerging Leaders Program, the Nkafu Policy Institute, a think Tank of the Denis and Lenora Foundation, has once again reaffirmed its commitment to nurturing future leaders who will drive Africa’s development agenda. The Foundation believes that with proper guidance and accountability, these young men and women will become ambassadors of change in their respective communities and countries.