- 18 novembre 2019
- Envoyé par : Administrateur
- Catégorie : Actualité du programme
The programme, which focuses on the development of businesses managed by young people in Cameroon, continuously innovates to integrate the specific needs of vulnerable groups, including women.
Targeted awareness-raising sessions are regularly organized to encourage husbands and wives to view project activities as a family business. As a result, they are adjusting their schedules and sharing household work to allow their partners to take part in training. Women’s participation in awareness sessions is growing and was standing at 33,37 % per cent in 2019.
The programme supports young entrepreneurs in setting up regional and national networks. Gender quotas are used to encourage young women to take leadership roles within these groups. To date, of the 16 main national delegates, five are young women. And women’s membership is growing fast, from 76 in 2015 to 7 751 in 2019.
Other activities promote the participation of young women in the programme. Facilities such as baby-sitting, medical care and nutrition subsidies are on offer to enable young mothers to follow training at the same pace as male classmates. Since 2018, the programme has helped look after nearly 250 babies, enabling their mothers to stay the course.
The overall percentage of women completing training increased from 32.5 per cent in 2015 to 37.78 per cent in 2019. Enterprises led by young women were responsible for 2,084, or 39.13 per cent of the 5,328 jobs created.
Intergenerational discussions on gender relations are also taking place. Modules on the sociocultural barriers that may stand in the way of women’s empowerment are well received by young people of both sexes and have a direct and immediate impact on young men and women’s behaviours and relationships.
By taking into account the specific needs of young women and addressing the root causes of gender inequalities, the project has generated transformative changes.
Réactions
» Ce prix est plus éloquent que tous les mots que j’aurai employé pour féliciter mon équipe. Il est dédié à l’ensemble des parties prenantes du programme tant au niveau stratégique qu’opérationnel. Sans leur précieux apport, nous ne l’aurions jamais eu. » Alfred Bela, Coordonnateur National du PEA-Jeunes
« Wow !!! what a consecration !!! This distinction arouses in me a double emotion. It is with an enormous sense of accomplishment to note that the efforts put in by the AEP-Youth Programme to target and implement a gender strategy have been recognised and rewarded. Nevertheless, this also calls for more efforts to boost our performance in terms of the inclusion of women and the integration of indigenous peoples or people with disabilities in the Programme” Alex Sonkwe, AEP-Youth Programme Training Engineering Specialist.
« Ce prix me rappelle les menaces des maris que nous subissions en tant que formateurs. Les époux venaient dans nos centres de formation et enlevaient de force leurs femmes. Depuis la mise en œuvre de la stratégie genre, nous sommes devenus aussi des conseillers matrimoniaux et les maris sont maintenant plutôt nos alliés dans la création et la pérennisation des entreprises de leurs femmes. Nous avons vraiment évolué » Michel Boh, Conseiller de suivi Principal au PEA-Jeunes
» Je suis très contente que vos efforts soient ainsi récompensés au-delà de la reconnaissance que nous vous témoignons chaque jour pour avoir changé nos vies. Grâce à vous, je ne connais plus de violences dans mon foyer. Mon souhait est que ce programme puisse durer le plus longtemps possible afin que de nombreux autres jeunes puissent en bénéficier » Ngond Telep Julienne, Bénéficiaire du PEA-Jeunes
« Thanks to my example, many young Bororos (boys and girls) have been supported by the AEP-Youth Programme. Some of them have already started their businesses. Others are currently undertaking the training. There are huge improvements in my life thanks to the AEP-Youth Programme. My whole life in its different aspects has changed. I can plan my life now because I am financially self-sustaining. I can make a decision about myself because I am economically independent. I can now take the floor in my community and anywhere else because I have gained confidence, I now know my value. » Hawau Ali, AEP-Youth Programme beneficiary