As 4th Na-We-We Sports Jamboree underway in Bertoua: LOYOC, partners uniting refugees, IDPs, host communities to build social cohesion.

The 2025 edition of the tourney which targets youth aged 15-35, was launched in Bertoua on Saturday, August 2. 

It is under the patronage of the Minister of Youth Affairs and Civic Education and hosted by the City Mayor of Bertoua, Jean Marie Dimbele. 

The Secretary General of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Civic Education, Bengal Zachee Robert, represented Minister Mounouna Foutsou at the launching.

LOYOC officials, representatives of partner institutions such as UN agencies, civil society organisations, corporate bodies, among others also lived the launching ceremony. 

Holding under the theme: “Uniting Through Sports: Building Social Cohesion Among Refugees, IDPs, and Host Communities”, this edition is officially sponsored by Source Bonis and the Director General of Nama Rosine. 

In opening remarks, Messe Peng, the representative of Bertoua City Mayor, expressed delight that the town was chosen to host the “important event that has to do with young people and living together which is crucial to the Head of State”.

While saluting the promoters of initiative, Peng hailed the importance of the social cohesion aspect of the sports jamboree to all and sundry residing in the East Region.  

On his part, the Executive Director of LOYOC, Achaleke Christian Leke, described NA-WE-WE as a process and an opportunity to exchange, sensititise and lift up the spirit of athletes on various aspects. 

“We are counting on our partners who are here to be able to use their platforms as a motor to drive messages,” Achaleke said. 

He urged youth in regions still to host the sports jamboree not to feel left out but watch the developments on television and also follow on other social media platforms while waiting for their turn to host. 

Partner, refugee, youth representatives hail initiative 

The representative of UN Human Rights, Dr Ordy Betga, said the UN agency supports the initiative because it sees in it a platform that can contribute to the sustainable development. 

“I think NA-WE-WE reflects that spirit,” Dr Ordy attested, adding that the vision of the initiative ties with the UN agency’s mission of seeing a society “where peace and love can reign, where people can come together, communicate, enjoy the same rights and collaborate without discrimination”. 

A participating refugee, Mahamat Moustapha, expressed gratitude to organisers. He said the initiative that can help most of the refugees to have jobs through the promotion of entrepreneurship among young people. 

“Formerly, we had youths who had business ideas but lacked the required skills set to go about with the project. NA-WE-WE is offering young people and opportunity to get proper support,” Moustapha said. 

On his part, a youth representative, Ngozo Rodrigue from Bétaré-Oya in the Lom and Djerem Division of the East Region, said NA-WE-WE jamboree is platform that has “come to give us hope. The hope to show that young people can do something”. 

“…region is one of the richest because we have mining activities. So, we think that we will use this opportunity to talk to our young people who are working on the mining sites to embrace education. We want them to go to school and formally learn about mining so that they can work professionally. We don’t want to see children in mining sites instead of the classrooms,” he said. 

Focus on 2025 edition 

LOYOC and partners, through the NA-WE-WE Sports Jamboree, leverage sports and recreational activities to foster social cohesion, moral, civic, and entrepreneurial rearmament, as well as promote healthy living among displaced persons and host communities.

Taking it to Bertoua, officials explained, is particularly significant as the East Region experiences a high concentration of refugees from the Central African Republic, and IDPs fleeing ongoing conflicts from different parts of the country. 

This, they said, is as the convergence has heightened social tensions, humanitarian needs, and risks of marginalization—making the East Region a critical zone for inclusive youth engagement and social cohesion. 

The key highpoint of the 2025 edition, officials added, will be promoting youth participation in electoral processes, advocating for peaceful engagement before, during, and after elections.

It will feature a month of sports tournaments, health consultations, community sensitization, and entrepreneurship fairs, alongside workshops on civic engagement and electoral education.

The goal, they said, is to create safe spaces for dialogue and peer learning, provide free medical screenings for vulnerable populations, raise awareness on issues such as Gender-based Violence and electoral participation, distribute food and educational materials and promote youth participation in electoral processes.

Through the jamboree, LOYOC and partners expect to enhance social cohesion between displaced and host communities, increase health awareness and civic engagement among youth and strengthen partnerships with government and humanitarian organizations.

Strides recorded by jamboree since inception 

The past three editions of the NA-WE-WE Sports Jamboree organised in Douala, Yaounde and Bafoussam, have successfully engaged thousands of participants, provided essential humanitarian support and fostered community solidarity.

It has reached out to 3,863 IDPs, mobilised 1,500 athletes, engaged over 300,000 people physically with over 2,000,000 people through media engagements, provided food, school materials and other basic amenities to over 5,000 children and youth, screened over 20,000 people for health issues, registered over 200 youth, including displaced persons and host community members, on the electoral list and planted over 1,000 trees to fight climate change. 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3523 of Monday August 04, 2025