VOLUNTEERING AND INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
Background
The job market today is highly complex in a way that every employer demands no working experience from the job seeker who is just coming back from the classroom with neither work or internship experience. Such a situation puts job seekers on a great disadvantage. The Cameroon situation is a call for concern where job seekers number about 65% in the active population. Consequently, unemployment, poverty, crime wave and banditry, juvenile delinquencies are common characteristics of most communities.
Overall objective of the program
To provide professional experience to young graduates in order to prepare them for a sustainable job market.
Program Components
- Placement of university students for internships and follow up
- Building of young professional careers through volunteering placements
In 2016, one male volunteer worked in the project department for a period of 3 months. He assisted in all field activities
The effects of the program activities
The partnerships signed with partners and collaborators have strengthened the working relationships with community structures like the councils and the health centres.
It is thanks to the health program that members in the communities have taken hygiene and sanitation practices serious. The spread of diseases has greatly reduced amongst women who attends antenatal services. Hand wash is now a common practice in the communities in Jakiri. The free drugs donated have improved the health of families who benefited from the project.
Tree planting is encouraged in the communities of Bui especially Jakiri and this has contributed to reducing the adverse effects of climate change. More trees have been planted to reduce carbon emissions from cars on our highway
The performance of beneficiaries of the book distribution project in the rural areas has greatly improved. Some for the first time received exercise books and now can read from the books and read from them.
The newly constructed Catholic School Rohntong has recorded high enrolment since 2015. This has reduced the risk of children travelling long distances to school.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The programs implemented so far need a lot of follow up and this means that there is need for CORA to set up an M&E team to do the follow up. All of this requires funding.
Of the 10 programs of CORA only three were implemented. There is need for more staff and funds to carry out more CORA’s programs.
From the outreaches on HIV and AIDS, CORA recommends that future HIV and AIDS outreaches should involve the use of HIV/AIDS test kids, talks on birth control and family planning methods.
For Youth Health Outreaches to schools, Abstinence Clubs should be created, Counseling and Tests for HIV/AIDS should be carried out.
Hygiene and sanitation is also a major health concern in the field. It is recommended that future projects should include the construction of hygienic toilets, refuse pits, rehabilitation of water catchment areas, the putting up of wash hand facilities as approaches to addressing hygiene and sanitation problems.
Malaria is another major health concern and this means that the distribution and education on the correct and consistent use of mosquito nets is a priority.