At North West Youth Forum: HOBEFI empowers over 300 youth on renewable energy, entrepreneurship.

This was the focus of training sessions it held on the sidelines of the North West Youth Summit in Bamenda. 

The Youth Summit was organised by the North West Chapter of the Cameroon National Youth Council, in collaboration with HOBEFI, other stakeholders and youth-led organisations and associations. 

The Summit which held from February 15 to 17, was chaired by the Senior Divisional Officer, SDO, of Mezam, Simon Emile Mooh.

HOBEFI used the Summit to facilitate enriching sessions focused on entrepreneurship, business ideation, financial management, networking, and opportunities in key sectors.

The training sessions saw young participants from different backgrounds coming together to learn about the importance of renewable energy and how to harness it for entrepreneurship opportunities.

According to the Executive Director of Hope for a Better Future, H4BF, Ngo Abdulai Banfogha, the training sought to provide technical insights into entrepreneurship in renewable energy and other vital sectors while instilling the critical skills required for self-empowerment. 

“By nurturing these young visionaries, our intervention during the summit aimed to cultivate a generation of responsible leaders capable of driving positive change within their communities,” Banfogha noted.

Participants, Banfogha said, were given hands-on experience with renewable energy technologies and taught how to implement them in their communities. 

Through interactive workshops and discussions, H4BF Executive Director, said the youth gained a deeper understanding of the benefits of renewable energy in mitigating climate change and promoting sustainable development.

One of the highlights of the event was the unveiling of the Cameroon Renewed project, a flagship initiative aimed at promoting sustainable practices and fostering entrepreneurship among young people. 

The project, it should be said, seeks to empower youth to take the lead in creating a cleaner and more sustainable future for Cameroon through the adoption of renewable energy solutions and innovative business ideas.

Fascinated by the projects objectives and the opportunities it provides likewise the results attained so far, over 231 individuals applied for the training at the vocational training immediately after the event. 

By fostering creativity and innovation, the Hope for a Better Future Vocational Training Center and her partners are paving the way for a new generation of environmentally conscious and socially responsible leaders.

All the participants were unanimous that the training by HOBEFI was commendable and timely. 

“As the world faces increasing challenges related to climate change and environmental degradation, empowering youth with the tools and resources to drive positive change is more important than ever,” noted Chick Jones, one of the participants. 

He added that: “Hope for a Better Future Vocational Training Center's efforts to educate and inspire young people on renewable energy and entrepreneurship are commendable steps towards building a more sustainable and prosperous future for all”.

About the training institute 

The Hope for a Better Future Vocational Training Institute, HOBEFI, was launched in 2022 with authorisation No. 09/ADDA/MINEFOP/SG/DREFOP-OU/DDEFOP-MIFI from the from Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training.

It is located at Carrefour Maitre Mbopda along the highway to Carrefour St Thomas from Fue rouge in Bafoussam, West Region. 

The institute furnished with the latest innovative equipment, smart energy solutions and equipment, operates in partnership with Master Peace International, Turing Foundation and Noorderpoort. 

The institute provides practical-orientated training courses in Renewable Energy, Information Technology (Computer Networking & Maintenance, App Development, Web Development, Database Management and Graphic Design), Agro-pastoral Agriculture, and Fashion and Design.

HOBEFI has as main focus to educate and impact vulnerable and needy, youth especially young girls and Anglophone crisis IDPs with skills needed in an upcoming market with growth potential. 

The training institute looks forward to inserting 250 of the 300 young people to be trained within three years into the job market with at least 50 to be employed in new jobs created in the formal and informal sectors. 

With anticipated 60% beneficiaries being survivors of Gender-based Violence, GBV, the training institute through trained staff and social workers will also provide GBV case managements to young girls who are GBV survivors. 

H4BF and her partners seek to create perspective, as their deep belief is that the lack of perspective is a root cause of polarisation, extremism and migration.