By Doh James Sonkey
The Minister of Youth Affairs and Civic Education, Mounouna Foutsou has urged young people to be indulged in volunteerism. Speaking last December 5, 2024 in the Conviviality Hall of the National Museum in Yaounde during the celebration of the 39th edition of the International Volunteer Day, the Minister announced that, ‘‘our objective is to mobilise for the coming years at least 20, 000 volunteers’ submission in different domains of competences in our economy such as education, health sector and rural development.’’
Celebrated under the theme, “volunteers in action building a supportive and inclusive society,” Minister Mounouna Foutsou said the celebration is aimed to enhance the investment of volunteers working with the grassroots populations and to scale up the voluntary commitment of Cameroonian youths to nation building.
Speaking to the press, Minister Mounouna Foutsou explained that, ‘‘we are closing the decade of volunteering in Cameroon which covered 10 days of activities led by volunteers in the field and this ceremony gave us the opportunity to give the awards of volunteering to celebrate volunteers who distinguished themselves on the field and also the structures of volunteering that promoted the activities of volunteering who are doing wonderful jobs in the field. As you know, this is also the occasion to sensitise all the stakeholders and that is why we opened this celebration with the launching of the digital platform of the National Volunteerism Programme which aims to enroll candidates for volunteering, posting structures and different partners. We seize this opportunity to call upon the youth to mobilise themselves and register on that platform in order to be candidates for volunteerism. We sensitise the administration, local authority and different partners to also mobilise themselves to express their needs in volunteering and organise themselves to host volunteers.’’
The Youth Affairs and Civic Education boss explained that, ‘‘we equally launched a call to the technical and financial partners to accompany this process.’’
He reiterated his plea for all stakeholders to work for a more dynamic and inclusive collaboration.
The Representative of the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System, Paul Coustere said, ‘‘I think we are very supportive of Cameroon government policy to develop volunteers. All instruments of the UN say the United Nations Volunteers Programme is very active here in Cameroon and coordinate with national policies. For instance, we are very supportive to help the government mark the international volunteers also with the dimension of development not only in towns but in the villages where humanitarian and crisis situations are found.’’
Distinguished volunteers pose with Minister Mounouna Foutsou, UNESCO Director – Paul Coustere, other officials