ENVISION creates solutions to the challenges disabled youths in Cameroon face. To effectively empower disabled youths, working closely with beneficiaries is important. Thus to raise awareness on their challenges, we are working with disabled youths to launch a radio program hosted on the national radio station, CRTV. Furthermore, to change perspectives on how to bring out the best in “disabled” youths and create an environment where they are accepted and assisted to grow, we plan on launching a Video log(Vlog) on our online social media platforms. This will be managed and run by the youth
Topical focus:
Country:
What locality or neighborhood will your project focus on?
Bafut
Describe the specific population with whom you will be working.
In Cameroon, over 1 million people live with a disability and 80% are youth. 1 in 10 children are born with “gene vulgum” a complication of the lower limbs causing the knees to be “curved” or “knocked”. More pertinent, disabled youths do not have equal access to resources, and opportunities. This causes a regressive cycle of poverty as they lack survival skills. Poverty in most cases contributes to and perpetuates disability.
More work can be done regarding healthcare, education, employment and civil rights as concerns disabled youths.
Y4C sees a need and potential in these youths. We have worked with our pilot group of about 25 youths from a centre for disabilities – Saint Joseph’s Children and Adult Home (SAJOCAH), to design a comprehensive radio program creating awareness amongst
Who else will be on your team to help implement the project?
Kabila Gana, USA
Lila Reni Bibriven, USA
https://www.facebook.com/lila.rene?fref=ts
Brice Tcheussi, France
https://www.facebook.com/btcheussi?fref=ts
Sylvie Ndikum, Cameroon
https://www.facebook.com/ndikum.sylvie?fref=ts
Colin Lashe Achu, Cameroon
https://www.facebook.com/colinachu?fref=ts
Fru Salumen Awaneh, Cameroon
https://www.facebook.com/fru.awaneh?fref=ts
Randolf Fonkwo, Japan
https://www.facebook.com/rastylebeau?fref=ts
Marie Pelagie Una Elimbi Moudio, USA
https://www.facebook.com/marie.elimbi?fref=ts
Collins Maringa, Algeria
https://www.facebook.com/collins.maringa?fref=ts
Ngopang Nkefor, USA
https://www.facebook.com/nkefor2?fref=ts
Madelle M Kangha, USA
https://www.facebook.com/madelkm
What kinds of news, stories and other content will be created?
We are creating a Vlog – video log on our online social media platforms. This will be a venue for the youths to tell us their stories, the challenges they have faced in their journey to overcoming adversities, as well as the impact our program has had in their lives.
Every video will be followed by a call for submissions, inviting youths from around the world to share their thoughts and ideas on how to tackle these challenge. This will create a dialogue/forum locally, nationally and internationally.
For our radio program which we have already piloted, every broadcast focuses on a specific theme. Typically, we have about 2 participants per session plus a guest speaker. The broadcasts are modelled in a way that promotes discussion and debate from listeners who have an option to call i
What technologies and digital tools do you plan to use in the trainings?
Describe the connections that you or your organization have already established or plan to establish that will contribute to the success of the project.
A. August 2015:One World Summit, Cameroon (EXISTING PARTNERSHIP): Youths4Change will partner with One World Summit to host an annual summit. This raises, cultivates and supports young people who are eager to create lasting change.
B. 2016 Do Something, Cameroon (FUTURE PARTNERSHIP): We are working towards a partnership between Youths4Change and Do Something.org – the largest non profit in the United States for young people and social change. This arises from the Do Something Africa competition which will enable Youths4Change be one of five organizations that will create a franchise.
This will enable us at Youths4Change to build on Do Something’s innovative model to introduce a new kind of youth activism and awareness in Cameroon, Africa and globally. We are committed to effect
How many participants do you think will be trained in your project?
- 100 Directly : These are the people we will have one – on – one interaction with
– 150+ indirectly: These are the people who we will reach out to via means other than the one – on – one interaction.
We already have primary contact with the SAJOCAH organization. As registered members, we would track their progress via assignments given them to measure how they make progress during the project. This will help us know where they need more assistance and how we can better help improve their skills.
We belief that people get involved in things by doing them. So to ensure the sustained participation of trainees beyond the project, we intend to entrust to them the operation of media platform.
Describe which technologies, tools, and media you will focus on when training participants.
Tools/Media
Computers and Cameras
1. Animoto: Fairly easy to use and can be accessed on a PC that is readily available.
2. Facebook/Youtube: Can be accessed by a large number of people on mobile phones and provides easy content sharing and management.
Expertise
DoSomething
– Experience in online media platforms
OneWorld Summit
– Rallying young people to achieve a common goal
Centre Specialists
– Experience working with disabled youth/sign language
Team
– All are IT proficient
– Some team members have advanced IT knowledge
– Some team members have project management experience and certificates
– Supervision, control and management of organisations
Describe the facilities where you will hold the workshops.
One functioning computer in the centre administration building which has two chairs and one table.
Internet connection speed 3 on a scale of ten. The centre is located in a semi-rural area.
Only one USB Modem and that is the centre administrator’s personal modem.
What is your current relationship with the community with whom you plan to work? What makes you the most appropriate individual or organization to implement this project?
We have been working with one of the centers ( SAJOCAH) for over a year, during this period we have established a relationship of trust with the individuals in the community. We have built a rapport with the administration and youths, and they have a sense of ownership vis – a – vis the project.
As a result of these, we are certain that we can continue to work with and engage these youth continuously for a sustained period.
The long term goal of the project is to enable these youth to be self sufficient. It is our goal to help them live ‘normal’ lives.
To achieve this goal, we set up skill sessions at the end last year. Craft was the number one choice among the youths and so most of our skills sessions focus on that. Once we help them finesse their skills in craft making, we will
What specific challenges do you expect to face when planning and implementing your project?
- Training the youths to produce online content given limited internet connectivity, limited facilities such as computers. This can be overcome by getting a monthly subscription from a good internet provider We also purchase one more computer for training sessions and content management
- Navigating communication barrier with special needs youth such as using sign language: We have trained individuals at the site who are able to communicate with the youth. We would have them train others to increase and facilitate communication with the youth.
How will you measure and evaluate the project’s impact, specifically: your primary participants, the wider regional community, or the global digital community?
a. Give disabled youths a voice in the society:
Our programs will provide a platform for disabled youths starting with our pilot community and expanding to incorporate partnerships with other local groups with similar passion and activities.
b. Enable disabled youths to learn vital skills:
At the end of the project, all participants will be asked to publish on our social network platforms either a story, their challenges, and/or how Youth4change has impacted them.
c. Raise awareness regionally and globally on the challenges disabled youths face:
The increasing number of likes, tweets and comments on our social platforms will be an indicator for the people we have reached. Views will be tracked periodically (monthly) after publication to see how long it takes for our me
If your project were to be selected as a Rising Voices grantee, what would be the general timeline of project activities in 2014?
April 1st – April 31st
– Project Envision Radio program preparation, planning and participant training
May
– Project Envision radio program kicks off managed by participants
– Training for participants for Vlog
– Content creation for Vlog
June/July
– Radio program continues
– Online media platform launched managed by participants
August
– TV Broadcast on most watched tv program on national channel – discussion led by participants
September/October/November/December
– Radio program expansion
– Online platform expansion
Detail a specific budget of up to $2,500 USD for operating costs.
Expenses: May – December
Internet access: ($23 each month from May to December) = $184
Workshops: ($100 each month for 7 months) = $700
Technology: (One time) = $200
Special needs facility: ($63/month for 8 months) = $504
Travel: ($40/month for 8 months) = $320
Fees = $54
Total = $1962
Besides the microgrant funding, what other support can Rising Voices provide for your project to ensure its success?
-Access to networks: Organizations that may be interested in activities related to working with the youths with disability
-Exposure
-Connection to other youth organizations especially those working with disabled youth
Contact name
Kabila Gana
Organization
Youths4Change