An orientation session has taken place, involving over 300 young Cameroonians who were selected to participate in the US Embassy sponsored project, under the theme "Promoting Professionalism Through E-Mentoring and Networking".
This E-Mentoring program will engage youths between the ages of 20 and 35 years, for them to identify problems in their communities and find a solution to them.
It is inline with this, that mentees will in the days ahead put in 5 hours of work every week working with mentors, in order to contribute their own quota in community development.
The online training program took place on wednesday Nov 17th 2021, under the patronage of MINJEC and will be implemented with close collaboration from Mandela Washington Fellows allumni association known as YALI Cameroon, Leap Girl Africa and the TAYONG Centre for Leadership and Development.
The project is an initiative of the Cameroon Association of Women in Media-AFMEC funded by the U.S Embassy, expected to span for a period of 3 months, coming at a time when the internet is fast becoming a tool for development.
The host and national coordinator for AFMEC, Tchonko Becky Bissong urged these young Cameroonians to take the advantage given them, to upgrade their skills and connect with mentors who will inturn influence their personal and professional life.
Becky is a Journalist with CRTV, a Project Lead, working on gender and women related programs. She believes it is important for the mentees taking part in the E-Mentoring program to multitask and prioritize what is important.
"This program will be raising issues that continue to hamper women's empowerment in different communities, while stepping up self esteem. That is why the U.S government is trusting that, media women can bring about development in communities by holding hands of other younger women". Becky, AFMEC.
"Young Cameroonians are proving that there are alot of reasources to create jobs for others, we just need an enabling environment". she explained.
The E-mentorship will promote professionalism, develop self confidence, public speaking skills and branding during this program.
The Mentors are expected to provide hints to role models, create networks, collaborative platforms.
Dopgima Stella Eteki is Vice President to YALI Cameroon, she has been doing some work to give visibility to the said project. Mentees got an insight on E- monitoring, with the goals they were expected to reach out for.
Pertulla Ezigha Ketcha is founder and CEO of a young women lead organization, Leap Girl Africa. She is a Mandela-Washington fellow and dwells on GBV, Girls' education, women/girls education, Sexual Reproductive Health.
Pertulla focused on the rules that should guide the web session, a major tool to be used in executing the project, given the era of Covid-19. She explained that mentees could get distracted and needed some rules or guidelines to keep them in check.
The mentoring is partitioned in about three phases, to begin with the launching on the November 24th and the mentorship proper to run from November 25th 2021 to March 31 2022, after which there shall be an evaluation.
Mentees have been urged to keep communication between themselves and their mentors, after being paired in groups to work in different domains, chosen to mentor on.
"During the E-Mentoring program, mentees need to be committed and invest time in the excercise, be responsible enough to keep communication flowing, be proctive, willing to learn and trustworthy". Pertulla.
The program is an opportunity to groom future leaders in diverse domains and for this period of 3 months, mentees are expected to connect with over 150 role models and mentors from 10 regions of Cameroon.
By Ndefru Melanie
678415536
ndefrumelany@gmail.com
Thank u Sir
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