20 Young Cameroonians Begin Leadership Training under Emerging Leaders Programme

YAOUNDE, PAV – Twenty young Cameroonians from all 10 regions have begun an intensive leadership programme in Yaoundé to prepare them to take a more active role in shaping their communities and the country’s future.

The fifth edition of the Emerging Leaders Program, which began on Monday, September 7, is organised by the Nkafu Policy Institute, a think tank of the Denis and Lenora Foretia Foundation, under the theme “Vision. Action. Impact.” The session brings participants together for three days of training in leadership, policy advocacy, and strategic thinking.

The programme is designed to move beyond conventional leadership training by giving participants the tools to translate ideas into practical initiatives capable of producing measurable results in their communities.

Dr Denis Foretia, co-chair of the Denis and Lenora Foretia Foundation, described the initiative as one of the few programmes in Cameroon bringing together young leaders from across the country for an intensive leadership experience.

“It is important because in leading in our countries, we want to ensure that the future leaders are well-equipped to be able to move their community forward, to be positive, and bring positive impact to their communities,” Dr Denis Foretia said.

He said exposing participants to experienced leaders would help them understand how to develop their work while preparing them to contribute to the emergence of a stronger and more prosperous Cameroon.

According to Dr Denis Foretia, participants are expected to return to their communities and build on the work they are already doing. “What we expect is that these young leaders return to their communities and push the positive work that they’re already doing, contributing to national growth,” he said.

For Foretia, the quality of leadership available across the country will have a direct bearing on Cameroon’s ability to create jobs, strengthen communities and achieve its development ambitions. “Without positive leadership across the board, we would not really grow, and we would not create the jobs that we need to have in our country to move forward,” he said.

An enriching opportunity

For some participants, the programme offers an opportunity to move from activism and community work towards influencing the policies that shape people’s lives. Leotine Petamen, from Bamenda in the North West Region, is among the 20 participants. She runs the Empower Her Initiative, which focuses on issues affecting women and girls.

Petamen said her interest in the programme stems from the need to address violence against women and children through stronger policies rather than relying solely on public condemnation after crimes have occurred.

“I am here to learn about policy advocacy, so that I can be able to use the information and the knowledge that I gain from here to influence policy to advocate better for children and for women,” she said.

She said campaigning against femicide and infanticide was not enough if the underlying systems that leave women and children vulnerable remained unchanged. Her goal, she said, is to acquire research and policy advocacy skills that can help her develop more effective interventions in her community.

Another participant, Ethel Lehdufe, a communicator and public-speaking coach, said she joined the programme to learn how policy could strengthen her work in gender activism and youth empowerment.

Lehdufe said the country’s growing concerns over femicide and violence against children demonstrate the need for stronger systems of protection. “We believe that children and women deserve to be protected, and protection is a basic necessity that they deserve to have,” she said.

She hopes to use the skills gained from the programme to contribute to policies addressing femicide and infanticide while promoting communication and excellence.

The training reflects the concern over the role of young people in Cameroon’s development. Although young people make up a substantial majority of the country’s population, their presence in meaningful decision-making spaces remains limited.

To the Nkafu Policy Institute, the challenge is not a lack of ambition among young Cameroonians, but the absence of sufficient pathways through which their ideas can be transformed into effective action. The programme’s three-day curriculum therefore combines leadership development with practical exposure to governance, policy and civic engagement.

Participants will examine issues including personal vision, strategic planning, ethical leadership and decision-making. They will also be exposed to experienced leaders and encouraged to build networks that can continue beyond the programme.