Youths Trained To Use Natural Resources

Some 50 youths from the South, North West, Centre and Far North Regions have been trained in Mengang, Nyong and Mfoumou Division in the Centre Region on how to integrate traditional, local, scientific and universal know-how and technologies to identify the needs of their communities while finding appropriate solutions using natural resources.

An expert from Brazil schooled Cameroonian youths on the Psycho-Socio-Cultural methodology project in which the youths will be able to use the earth, sun and natural resources around them to meet their needs without depending on external help. The workshop was opened by the Sub-Divisional Officer of Mengang, Same Guillaume, in the presence of the Mayor of Mengang, Bendondo Mendogo on Tuesday May 6.

The Brazilian expert, Professor Guilherme dos Santos Barboza, who is supervising the project in Cameroon, says all communities have the resources to develop from within. Given that the survival of many rural communities in the country is put in danger by the destruction of their natural environment by industries, mines or logging companies, Guilherme dos Santos Barboza told participants that this danger is aggravated by isolation and difficult living conditions, especially as the communities are far away from urban centres, often without access to clean water, electricity, communication and public services for health and education. The Brazilian expert noted that if communities do not succeed in organising a sustainable use and protection of land and resources around them; they will all be forced to move to big cities where livelihood is not usually favourable.

Experts at the two-day work said it is time for Cameroonian youths to raise their voice if natural resources are destroyed while applying science for the benefits of humans. Being the future of Cameroon, Dos Santos Barboza said that it is important to impact them with knowledge on development skills from the inside of communities so that in the future; they will be able to impact their communities without seeking foreign help. One of the youths from the North West Region, Aliou Moustafa said at the end of the workshop he was well skilled on nature protection as well as how to solve natural problems affecting his community such as flood, landslide and draught.

Most of the participants said the workshop will enable them handle various problems faced by their communities and to manipulate solar system material amongst others. The workshop was organised by the Cameroon Association of Green Youths (AJVC) in partnership with Greenpeace, CABEPEC and ACCEN-DC amongst others.