A workshop with stakeholders to get their views and validation was organized on May 27,2021 in Bamenda

Some 11351 adolescent children ranging from 18 to 24 years in Mezam and MomoDivisions are targets of   Plan International’s new project expected to run from May 2021 to April 2022. This was revealed during a one-day workshop with community leaders on May 27, 2021 in Bamenda.

The project, funded by the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) for the fourth year running, has collaborated with communities to reach out to many vulnerable children in the crisis-hit North West and South West Regions.

In this new phase of the project based in the North West region, the children who are below 18 and some youths not more than 24 will be provided with phsyco-Social support as most of them have been affected by the crisis in one way or the other. Some will be enrolled into vocational training centres and start-ups kits provided, Child friendly spaces will be put in place in the 15 communities where 13 will be in Mezam division and two in Momo division aimed at having a positive impact on the mental health of the children. These vulnerable children include separated and unaccompanied children, survivors of Sexual Gender based violence, children who are associated with armed groups and children belonging to indigenous groups like the mbororos. It also emerged from the event that Plan International will be strengthening child protection mechanisms in communities where they will train members of these child protection structures to raise awareness in communities on abuse, violence and neglect.

Speaking during the event in Bamenda, the Child Protection in Emergency Coordinator for the North West,SylviaAnyangwa said they intend to make this phase different and innovative as they will be introducing day care centres for babies of adolescents who want to be part of vocational training programme but do not have a place to keep their children. This aspect was absent in the last three phases. They will equally be introducing Information and Communication Technology as a tool for the promotion of sexual reproduction health rights as youths these days are often glued to their telephones.

It is the wish of Plan International to see that all children regardless of their abilities in the various communities benefit from the project activities.