Vocational training for vulnerable youth, access to education, and literacy programmes: these are the results achieved by the AIDE project in the city of Yaoundé, Cameroon, where 93 children and young people in vulnerable conditions took part in educational activities and job placement support initiatives implemented by AVSI, together with the Centre Edimar Princesse Grace and Cooperativa Amici di Gigi, in collaboration with the Emilia-Romagna Region.
The project worked with children and young people who are living or have lived on the streets, as well as with families facing severe economic and social hardship. An educational or vocational pathway was designed for each beneficiary according to their age, level of education, and personal circumstances.
Vocational training for yulnerable youth in Yaoundé
Thirteen young people participated in vocational training and employment support programmes.
Training courses covered a variety of sectors, including tailoring, beauty therapy, carpentry, metalwork, hairdressing, and midwifery assistance. Activities took place in artisan workshops and training centres affiliated with Centre Edimar.
Alongside technical skills development, participants attended modules on managing a small business, covering topics such as cost calculation, financial management, work organisation, and customer relations.
For many participants, the training journey was supported by educators, tutors, and psychologists who monitored progress and helped address the challenges that often arise when entering the labour market.
Schooling and literacy programmes for 80 children and young people
The project also engaged 80 children and young people through a range of educational activities.
Some beneficiaries were enrolled in primary or secondary school and received school materials as well as ongoing support from educators. Others attended literacy courses organised by Centre Edimar, which for more than twenty years has accompanied vulnerable children and young people in Cameroon’s capital city.
For many children, regular school attendance requires constant support. Centre Edimar educators therefore organised regular meetings with families and monitoring activities to follow each child’s progress and help prevent school dropout.
Within the literacy programmes, some young people also received personalised educational and psychosocial support. In several cases, this work led to family reintegration, the restoration of family relationships, or guidance towards vocational pathways.
A dialogue between educational experiences in Cameroon and Romagna
The AIDE project also provided an opportunity for collaboration between Centre Edimar and Cooperativa Amici di Gigi, organisations working in different contexts but sharing a commitment to supporting children and young people in vulnerable situations.
At the beginning of 2026, a delegation from the cooperative travelled to Yaoundé for a monitoring and learning mission. The visit enabled staff members to exchange experiences and observe first-hand the activities carried out with beneficiaries.
At the same time, awareness-raising initiatives about the Cameroonian context were organised in Emilia-Romagna. These included a speaking tour by Mireille Yoga in several cities across the region and a public event promoted by Cooperativa Amici di Gigi following the mission.
The AIDE Project at a glance
Project name: AIDE – Support for Employment Integration and Educational Development of Vulnerable Young People in the City of Yaoundé
Area of intervention: Yaoundé, Cameroon
Duration: 10 August 2025 to 9 August 2026
Beneficiaries: 93 vulnerable children and young people
Main activities: school enrolment, literacy courses, educational and psychosocial support, vocational training, and job placement support
Partners: AVSI, Centre Edimar Princesse Grace, and Cooperativa Amici di Gigi
Donor: Emilia-Romagna Region
The project will come to an end on 9 August 2026. However, collaboration among the partners will continue beyond the conclusion of the project in order to sustain the educational and vocational pathways launched in Yaoundé.