Project Overview

The AMPLIFY project, formally titled “Amplifying Youth Participation in Dialogue and Peacebuilding in the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon,” is a 36-month youth-led initiative implemented by Local Youth Corner Cameroon (LOYOC) with funding from Open Society Foundations (OSF) Africa.

The project responds to the prolonged socio-political tensions and conflict in the North West (NW) and South West (SW) regions of Cameroon, which have significantly disrupted social relations, weakened community structures, deepened divisions, and limited constructive civic engagement. Despite young people comprising over 75% of Cameroon’s population and bearing the greatest burden of the crisis, they remain systematically excluded from formal and informal peace processes.

AMPLIFY seeks to change this. By building the capacities of young people and creating meaningful platforms for their participation, the project positions youth as credible, capable champions of dialogue and peacebuilding in their communities.

What is an Improbable Dialogue?

At the heart of the AMPLIFY project is a methodology called the Improbable Dialogue: an intentional, community-driven dialogue process that brings together individuals or groups who would not ordinarily engage constructively due to conflict, mistrust, power imbalances, or social and identity-based divisions.

These are not ordinary meetings. They are carefully designed spaces where people who might otherwise not speak to each other, including youth, traditional leaders, government actors, displaced persons, women leaders, and community influencers, sit together to share perspectives, rebuild trust, and identify pathways toward peaceful coexistence.

LOYOC first piloted this model in 2022 in collaboration with Swisspeace, engaging 20 young people from the NW and SW regions. The AMPLIFY project scales and deepens this approach across both regions.

Why This Project Matters

Seven key barriers consistently prevent young people from participating meaningfully in peace processes in Cameroon:

• Exclusion from key peacebuilding institutions and formal dialogue mechanisms.
• Discrimination against grassroots youth voices in favour of elite youth structures.
• Negative perceptions of youth as troublemakers or incompetent, which reinforce marginalisation.
• Absence of domestic Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) legislation and limited institutional support for youth advocates.
• Insufficient financial support, with most youth-led peacebuilding organisations operating on budgets of under 3,000 USD per year.
• Persistent threats to the safety and security of youth peace actors, including arbitrary arrest, kidnapping, and detention.
• Political manipulation of some youth involved in peace processes, which delegitimises broader youth contributions.

AMPLIFY directly addresses each of these barriers through a combination of capacity building, financial support, structured dialogue, and advocacy.

Project Objectives

The project aims to strengthen the capacity of young people from the NW and SW regions of Cameroon to serve as champions of the peace process. Its specific focus areas align with three of OSF Africa’s priority areas:

• Expression and Participation: Building young people’s ability to express themselves and participate as stakeholders in formal and informal dialogue processes.
• Security and Rights: Responding to the ongoing conflict, while advocating for the rights of young people to be recognised as key peace actors.
• Opportunity and Equity: Creating opportunities for youth, particularly young women and girls, who are routinely marginalised from peace processes.

Key Project Activities

1. Baseline Study and Community Assessments

The project begins with rigorous research to identify perspectives, challenges, and opportunities for youth engagement in dialogue and peacebuilding across the NW and SW regions.

2. Youth Leaders Training of Trainers (ToT) Workshop

26 youth leaders from youth-led civil society organisations across the NW and SW regions have been selected and trained in conflict analysis, facilitation skills, safeguarding, inclusivity, and do-no-harm approaches. These leaders are equipped not only with technical skills but also with the confidence and ethical grounding needed to lead sensitive community dialogue processes.

3. Community Improbable Dialogue Sessions

Trained youth leaders design and facilitate community-level improbable dialogue sessions across the NW and SW regions, bringing together diverse stakeholders who would not ordinarily interact, to address conflict-related tensions, rebuild trust, and identify actionable pathways to peace.

4. Seed Grants for Youth-Led CSOs

Recognising that capacity without resources is insufficient, the project provides seed grants to trained youth-led civil society organisations to implement community-based improbable dialogue sessions. A total of 10 grants are being disbursed across both regions, 5 in the NW and 5 in the SW, with ongoing technical and mentorship support provided throughout implementation.

5. Learning and Support Sessions

Regular quarterly learning and support sessions are organised for young people to interact with adults, improve knowledge sharing, and strengthen collaboration on dialogue and peacebuilding processes. These sessions use intergenerational dialogue models to bridge generational gaps and foster mentorship between youth leaders and experienced practitioners.

6. Peace Sports Jamboree

The project incorporates sports-for-peace as a tool for community cohesion, bringing together young people across divides through shared participation in sport.

7. Intergenerational Improbable Dialogue Sessions

Beyond community sessions, the project facilitates broader intergenerational dialogues engaging diverse stakeholders, including ministers, members of parliament, senators, traditional rulers, and youth leaders, around the full, equal, and effective participation of young women and men in dialogue and peace processes.

8. Advocacy and Policy Engagement

The project engages government institutions, policymakers, and international stakeholders through ministerial briefings, parliamentary briefings, and advocacy sessions aimed at securing buy-in for youth inclusion in formal peace processes. Documentation of research findings and policy briefs ensures that learning from the project extends beyond its duration.

Who Benefits?

The AMPLIFY project directly benefits young people aged 15 to 35 from the North West and South West regions of Cameroon, with a deliberate emphasis on including young women and girls, youth from informal sectors, and those from marginalised communities. Indirect beneficiaries include families, communities, traditional and religious authorities, government actors, and other stakeholders engaged through dialogue sessions.

Where Is the Project Implemented?

The project is implemented across the North West and South West regions of Cameroon, through LOYOC’s field offices in Bamenda (NW) and Buea (SW). Community-level activities are designed to reach diverse communities across both regions, with a focus on areas most affected by ongoing conflict and displacement.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does AMPLIFY stand for?

AMPLIFY is the short name for the project “Amplifying Youth Participation in Dialogue and Peacebuilding in the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon.” The name reflects the project’s core purpose: to amplify the voices, capacities, and contributions of young people in the peace process.

Who funds the AMPLIFY project?

The project is funded by Open Society Foundations (OSF) Africa and implemented by Local Youth Corner Cameroon (LOYOC).

How long is the project?

AMPLIFY is a 36-month (three-year) initiative.

What is the Improbable Dialogue methodology?

An Improbable Dialogue is an intentional, structured dialogue process that brings together people who would not ordinarily engage with each other due to conflict, distrust, or social divisions. The methodology is designed to create safe, neutral spaces for honest conversation across divides, with the goal of rebuilding trust and identifying shared pathways to peace.

How are youth leaders selected and supported?

Youth leaders from youth-led civil society organisations across the NW and SW regions are selected through a competitive process. Selected leaders participate in a comprehensive Training of Trainers workshop covering conflict analysis, facilitation, safeguarding, inclusion, and do-no-harm principles. They also receive ongoing mentorship and, where applicable, seed grant funding to implement community-level dialogue sessions.

What are seed grants and who can apply?

Seed grants are small financial allocations provided to trained youth-led CSOs to cover the practical costs of organising and facilitating community improbable dialogue sessions, including venue, logistics, facilitation materials, and transportation. To be eligible, organisations must be youth-led (at least 70% of leadership positions held by young people aged 18 to 35), operational in the NW or SW region, and must have participated in the project’s Improbable Dialogue training.

How does the project ensure safety and conflict sensitivity?

All AMPLIFY activities are guided by safeguarding standards, conflict-sensitive and do-no-harm principles, and informed consent protocols. Youth leaders receive specific training on managing sensitive conversations safely. Risk mitigation is built into every activity design, and ongoing monitoring ensures that sessions remain inclusive, voluntary, and ethical.

How can I find out more or get involved?

For more information about the AMPLIFY project, contact LOYOC through the official website at www.loyocameroon.org or reach out via LOYOC’s official social media channels.