Social affairs ministry, partners commit to reinsert 700 street children.

A total of 700 street children in some regions of the country are targeted within the framework of this project. On the occasion of the12th edition of the World Day for street children, the various stakeholders involved in the project met in Yaounde.

The project for reinsertion and socio economic inclusion of street children was detailed by the Jean Vincent de Gweth, Chief of Youth Connekt project at the UNDP country office.

The project that targets the cities of Douala and Yaounde in its first phase is expected to empower this vulnerable group of youths and revamp activities already carried out by some of the group of persons who have already been taken off the street.

The cases of children who were taken out of the streets of Yaounde and Douala just to name these two major cities were equally underscored by the Nyambi III Dikosso, Director of National Solidarity  and Social Development at MINAS.

He said the MINAS through its pilot phase of the project has been able to withdraw 162 children from the streets. 110 returned home and 40 were placed at the Betamba childhood centre in Ntui, Centre Region.

Nyambi III also indicated that some 30 youths who are currently on vocational training at the Betamba childhood institution will end up their courses in June 2023.

Speaking during the presentation of the project, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative for Cameroon, Alassane Ba praised the fruitful cooperation that exist between government and the United Nations system in Cameroon. Cooperation which he says has positively impact advancement sustainable development goals.

He said through this ongoing project, UNDP sticks on the slogan of “leaving no one behind”. Street children according to Ba are important in the transformative circle of our society.

“We are targeting 700 street youth by September 2023, and we are shall attain our objective by working closely together to facilitate socioeconomic reinsertion of these youths in Yaounde, Ngaoundere, Douala…,” Ba said. 

He also called on councils and actors to give a push to this project which necessitates the contribution of everyone for its success. 

Social Affairs Minister, Pauline Irene Nguene, in her keynote address saluted the collaborative spirit that has been put in place between her ministry, the ministry of Youth Affairs and Civic Education and the UNDP through the Youth Connekt project, which is milestone for the reinsertion and socioeconomic empowerment of street children and youth.

She said the 12^th edition of the International Day for street children comes at the moment government has launched a series of programmes through her ministry to tackle the phenomenon of street children.

“This is why today’s consultation is also important. The success of the project for the reintegration and socio economic inclusion of street youth depend on the commitment and collective dynamics that will be implemented in its execution”.

The meeting also paved the way for the projection of a short documentary portraying the daily living of street children in Yaounde. The documentary is a production of the UNDP office in Cameroon.