In Cameroon, efforts are being made to combat terrorism and promote youth employment in the Far North region. Faced with a fragile economic context and a worrying security situation due to armed conflicts, hundreds of young people are trained on construction sites with the aim of avoiding the trap of terrorism and reducing poverty.
In villages like Arkis, located around ten kilometers from Kousseri, young apprentices are working on construction sites. Ousmanou, one of these apprentices, makes paving stones using different materials such as sand, gravel and cement. Before joining this training, he did not know all the stages of this process. These out-of-school and unemployed young people were trained for six months and also participated in the construction of a storage warehouse. Their training includes making paving stones, terracotta blocks and tiles. Their newly acquired skills make them operational in the construction field.
These training initiatives aim to combat terrorism by providing young people with employment opportunities. The Far North region of Cameroon is regularly affected by the actions of the Boko Haram group, which has pushed many young people to join the ranks of the sect. By offering professional training on construction sites, the National Participatory Development Program (PNDP) aims to reduce poverty at the grassroots and dissuade young people from turning to terrorism.
The results are encouraging, and more than 6,000 young people have benefited from these training programs over the last ten years, for a financial investment of 1.4 billion FCFA. The employment prospects thus created offer an alternative to idle young people in the region and help to curb the attraction of terrorism. Local authorities want these initiatives to multiply throughout the department to offer more opportunities to young people and reduce terrorism in the region.
In conclusion, the training of young people on construction sites in the Far North regions of Cameroon plays a crucial role in the fight against terrorism and the reduction of poverty. By offering employment opportunities and developing the skills of young people, these initiatives help to divert their attention from the call of terrorism and promote their social and economic integration. The continuation of these programs is therefore essential to guarantee a better future for young people in the region.