The Amplify Project, a youth-led initiative designed to empower young people’s participation in dialogue and peace building processes in Cameroon’s North West and South West Regions, recently concluded its first round of quarterly learning and support sessions. Held on May 10th, and 16th 2024 in both Buea and Bamenda offices respectively, the sessions brought together young leaders and adult community leaders for a day of interactive dialogue and collaboration.
Aimed to create a platform for reflection, discussion, and brainstorming on youth-specific issues and needs, particularly regarding risks young activists face from armed groups and the resulting trauma, the sessions employed youth creative and innovative strategies like role play and icebreakers to foster rapport and set the stage for open discussions. This paved the way for the young participants to actively share their experiences and challenges related to activism and community engagement in the context of the Anglophone crisis. “Recently, I was kidnapped by the separatist fighters for granting an interview to the State Media. In the interview, I urged Cameroonian youths to register for the 2025 elections and champion the change course. I stayed in captivity for over a week, then later released on ransom,” a participant revealed. “It has taken a negative toll on my psychology and impeded me with post trauma disorder,” she added.
This open exchange sponsored by Open Society and implemented by Local Youth Corner in the restive Anglophone Regions, creates a safe space for mutual understanding between youth and adult leaders, a key component in bridging the gap between generations. Albeit the existence of such platforms, stereotypes about young people, fear of uncertainty, cyber bulling and generational differences serve as stumbling blocks to peace building efforts of young people. “Youths are very comfortable with the crisis plaguing the state. They find the older generation as being old fashioned thus shy away from them,” a participant bemoaned. However, he recommended that “finding a common ground to have a gentlemen agreement and host intergenerational discussions will help build the peaceful society we crave”.
A critical focus of the sessions was equipping young people with the skills and knowledge to navigate the complexities of their environment. Participants actively engaged in discussions to identify potential threats associated with activism. They then built upon this foundation by brainstorming solutions to mitigate these risks. “, inclusive dialogue activities, continuous Youth sensitization and awareness campaigns on the relevance of Youth participation in peace building initiatives, are laudable strives to breaking the intergenerational gap in peace processes,” a participant from Bamenda recommended.
“Meanwhile, the small group discussions allowed for a deeper dive into specific solutions and adaptations, culminating in presentations with actionable recommendations,” Ekoko Caroline, the Project coordinator in the South West Region said.
The day concluded on a forward-looking note with an inclusive session on action planning. Participants reflected on key takeaways from the discussions and collaboratively developed plans including organizing pass-on knowledge session in Communities to implement the identified solutions. Responsibilities and timelines were assigned to ensure follow-up and progress on the action items.
The successful launch of these learning and support sessions marks a significant step forward in empowering young Cameroonians and fostering collaboration for a more peaceful future. “With continued engagement and action, the Amplify Project holds the potential to make a lasting impact in the North West and South West regions” Justine Bongwong, Project officer for the NW echoed.