YouthKonnect supports Mission 4.7 in Cameroon
By Njemo Naomi Mabuh, Founder of YouthKonnect
YouthKonnect is a Cameroonian SDG 4 Edtech initiative designed to empower, educate, and engage youth in creating a society that will enhance economic growth and social well-being. We strongly believe in transformational education as a means to achieve sustainable development.
Our values are deeply rooted in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We focus on Goal 4, Quality Education, Target 7, which is education on global citizenship and sustainable leadership. Our activities at YouthKonnect correlate with the principles of Mission 4.7, as we believe that "clarity education on the SDGs, youth leadership development, and entrepreneurship stands as a sustainable solution to societal problems.
The global impact of accessibility and availability on quality education has plagued Cameroon’s education system. Since September 2017, Cameroon’s Anglophone Crisis has caused political unrest in the country. Coupled with the economic and social challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the unrest only further exposed the fact that education in Cameroon is not sustainable nor solution-oriented. This stands as one of the major reasons for an increase in crime and vandalism. We at YouthKonnect realized that conventional education simply provides youths with “theories,” but no framework. Clarity education on youth engagement and the SDGs can bridge the gap in which youths get schooled but not educated. The content of our education does not aptly match up to our local realities, and therefore provides insufficient opportunities to develop youth leaders capable of engaging in community development initiatives.
Engaging youths from deprived communities empowers them to contribute to better communities. At YouthKonnect, Our passion is to serve youth through leadership-oriented development education, with the right knowledge and skills to create the Africa we want.
YouthKonnect offers many opportunities for Cameroonian youths. To navigate pandemic concerns, our Edtech initiative has been strictly virtual, providing a safe place for learning while introducing modern-day learning tools and platforms for youths who have had little or no exposure. Our flagship programs include The Next Elites, YouthLevel Up, and the Global Citizenship and Sustainable Leadership seminar. All focus on achieving SDG Target 4.7 by supporting youth in making smart decisions and choices in the 21st-century economy. We educate them on the right career choices, financial freedom, leadership, and educational development. Each year, we train over 50 youth in local communities. So far, we have partnered with 10 local organizations to have a wider influence and create more impact.
Through this initiative, YouthKonnect has adopted a design thinking approach to provide SDG education to over 300 local youths in 2020. Additionally, we have proposed the introduction of the SDGs into local school curricula, provided blueprints and idea conferences, and inspired a community of aspiring leaders who are committed to their civic responsibilities. Through our programs, we have been able to successfully expose youths to how to make informed decisions and advocate for the Goals. This has allowed them to serve their communities through our volunteer programs and inspire other youths to action. Our long-term goal is to reach 3,000 youth in local communities by 2025.
We share a common vision with Mission 4.7 in creating relevant educational resources and identifying ways to support educators around the world. Our values are rooted in our fundamental commitment to provide transformational education on the SDGs, and to support global citizens towards making economic value creation and youth empowerment inseparable objectives. The values we uphold are respect, resourcefulness, quality, innovation, communication, teamwork, and engagement. Not only do they guide all of our policies and approaches; they also endow YouthKonnect with a personality that allows us to reach youths of the underprivileged communities.