MANIFESTO

DIVINE N. VERKIJIKA
FOR PRESIDENCY
CAMEROON ​NATIONAL​ ​YOUTH​ ​COUNCIL

I am Divine N. ​Verkijika​. A 26 Years old Cameroonian from Kumbo, in the North West Region. I
studied Computer Science in the University of Yaounde I and am the leader of a ​youth
opportunity ​sourcing organization called ​Ductu ​Foundation and consultant to several ​youth
associations since 2012. I have also served my N​ation as ​National Rapporteur for Programmes
Commission at Cameroon ​National Musical Art Corporation (SONACAM) and worked as a project
coordinator and an ICT trained engineer, with a wide range of ​consultancy, research and teaching
experience in and out of Cameroon interacting with people from various ​sociocultural
backgrounds.

From organizing ​sociocultural events, to inviting ​international volunteers and coordinating projects
to help rural women in my community to gain access to micro-credit and capacity building for
youths amongst others give me a practical understanding of where it pinches most in the life of a
rural Cameroonian ​youth

Having attended ​school in a city like Yaounde, and lived in towns like Douala and Buea, I Am
bilingual and understand firsthand the circumstances of ​young​ people in these areas.

And as an expatriate, I understand the life of ​young people in the diaspora and have experienced
a lot which I believe through my leadership can ​be shared with the Cameroonian ​youth population
in general

The CNYC is an apolitical, secular and non profit making organization Placed under the care of
the Ministry of ​Youth and ​Civic ​Education​, whose aim is the development and effective
participation of youths in the life of the ​Nation ​as well as coordinating ​youth movements and
promoting associative life of Cameroon ​youth​ both ​nationally ​and​ internationally

As the P​resident of the ​National ​Youth ​Council​, in collaboration with my team, our vision is to
have a well represented association, with members from all ​Divisions and Sub ​Divisions of
Cameroon, each having equal ​opportunity and to enforce the capacity of all member associations
and their beneficiaries to get maximum results for their efforts and advocate for strategic reforms
that will benefit these ​young ​leaders and all other youths in all three corners of the ​National
triangle, ​irrespective of​ their age, gender, occupation, ​sociocultural​ and political background.

Following recent trends in the country, which ​mainly ​involve the ​youth​, we will put at the forefront,
to revitalize and re-​inculcate core republican values and to bring back a new found ​patriotism,
civic responsibility and spirit​ of unity in our undeniable diversity.

I ​intend to achieve this ​mission through three main pillars, ​Structural ​Reform, National and
International Integration​, and ​Opportunity​ ​Sourcing
In the ​structural domain, ​the existence of the ​National ​Youth ​Council is a laudable initiative and
we can say the outgoing and ​previous teams did their best to ​establish this institution, given their
existing circumstances. However, the main reason the ​National ​Youth ​Council could not meet the
expectations of ​young​ people in Cameroon is because it has a major ​structural​ ​issue​.

How is it possible that a ​council which represents over 15 million ​young people from all 58
Divisions in Cameroon only has a ​National ​Executive ​Bureau of 10 people and ​is expected to be
effective, efficient and well represented?

In the ​President of the Republic's Address to the ​youth on the 10th of Feb 2018, he reiterated that
he has seen the massive need for a more decentralized government and for the communities to
be well represented and to manage a good portion of their resources, and I will beg to say ​that
this is ​true for the ​National​ ​Youth​ ​Council as well​.

We will push ​for the creation of 5 new commissions at the general assembly of the ​National ​Youth
Council​, which will each ​be led by a C​ommission ​President and have 5 members per
C​ommission​, and include ​some ​key roles in the main ​executive ​bureau​, increasing the number of
active ​youth representatives at the ​national level of the ​bureau by 30, giving ​a total of over 40
offices at the ​national​ ​bureau

This will ​permit us to have a more inclusive ​bureau​, and enough human resource to carryout the
many and sometimes complex tasks of the ​youth​ ​council

As far as ​National and ​International ​Integration ​is concerned​, ​One of the biggest challenges faced
by young people and ​youth ​leaders in particular in Cameroon ​especially ​in rural and semi urban
areas is the lack of exposure and ​a feeling of​ marginalization.

I will push forward for more frequent and well thought out local exchange programs, whereby
youth ​leaders from a Division, will pay exchange visits to other D​ivisions and share their
experiences with their peers. this will create a sense of ​national ​integration and will act as an
avenue for positive collaboration

We will also move far further, to create and promote exchange programs between ​young ​leaders
in Cameroon and those in other countries around the world. By visiting these ​young ​leaders in
their various countries and by inviting some of them to Cameroon. This will ​permit us to be part of
the global movement for ​youth empowerment which will help us ​to ​copy good examples from
other countries that can then ​be implemented​ in Cameroon ​especially ​at grassroots levels.

We will also create an Annual ​National ​Young ​Leaders ​Convention​, which will bring together
youth ​leaders to ​discuss issues affecting them and propose solutions, ​as well as offer capacity
building, experience sharing and networking opportunities which they can take back to reinforce
their communities. Each Region, shall ​be expected to organize a Regional, ​Divisional and Sub
Divisional ​Young​ ​Leaders​ ​Convention​ in prelude to the ​national​ ​convention

Young people and ​youth associations are always in need of opportunities ​especially ​as far as
education, employment, and entrepreneurship ​are concerned​. We will create a special committee
to collect project proposals from ​youth groups and individuals to lobby for opportunities such as
funding, partnerships, special capacity building training and scholarships. this committee will also
work with potential partners to collect a database of opportunities for ​young people ​as well as
create a means to ​disseminate this information to all the 3 corners of the ​national triangle for
equal ​opportunity​ for youths no matter their location.

Besides ​sourcing for funding opportunities and considering the challenging financial times, we
shall ​be promoting the concept of cooperative entrepreneurship among ​young people as a
suitable and effective means to overcoming obstacles ​in the development of their careers and
ventures and to formalize and improve the status of ​young people ​especially ​in sectors like ​trade,
agriculture and arts​ and culture.

As such we will create mechanisms for ​young people most of who work in the informal sector, to
work in cooperatives to foster their careers, and ventures and to gain sustainability

The youths ​are able to pool their ​resources, which are individually insufficient to ensure the
economic viability of a small scale business yet ​collectively constitute a ​foundation for sustainable
activity giving them a formal and legal platform to ​operate​ upon

We will also use our ​youth power to advocate for ​laws, policies, and programs that enhance
access to better educational facilities, job ​search, collaboration, and self employment
opportunities

To conclude, these are not just sound ideas, but practical solutions based on careful evaluation,
and a lot of experience backed by ​goodwill, an impeccable character, and the capacity to deliver
promised results.

Young people make up over 70% of the ​national population, yet make up less than 25% of the
national bargaining power. My m​ission is to lead ​young people in Cameroon ​to responsibly
reclaim​ their ​national​ position, in all aspects of ​national​ life.