Empowering an AIDS-Free Generation in Cameroon

So often, participatory processes are seen as a luxury within development projects. Rather than privileging participation as fundamental for ensuring sustainability and a connection with community needs, agencies often ignore such practices in the face of the significant time and resource pressures that so many face.

In this respect, EFA has always been a bit different, as participation has always been central to our work. The very idea of EFA came out of a need identified by a group of young Cameroonians, and our approach continues to place our members at the center of our activities. At EFA, we truly believe that there are no better advocates for youth affected by HIV and/or AIDS than other youth facing the same circumstances. That is why empowerment has always been at the very center of our mission (to promote the successful future of African children, youth and families affected by HIV and AIDS through education, enterprise, and empowerment).

These values have guided our period of organizational transition. Although it may have been quicker to make decisions at the top of the organizational structure, we feel strongly that the future of EFA must be decided by its beneficiaries. Our role in this process is not to guide the future strategy but to enable the local staff and the members of youth associations to make their own decisions about where EFA is going and what EFA should be. This process began in earnest last month when the EFA Cameroun staff started a series of site visits to each of the associations in the Youth Empowerment Network. The objective of the visits is to start a frank and open conversation with all of the association members about the future and vision of EFA Cameroun. The ideas and suggestions generated during the site visits will then be fed back to the Transition Committee, who will support the local staff to develop a detailed strategy based on the association members’ ideas and contributions. This strategy will then be formally adopted by all of the presidents of the associations at a network-wide meeting later this summer.

We are excited to see what the association members suggest – and we are proud to see the EFA Cameroun staff leading the process with such energy, passion and commitment. We look forward to keeping you updated as this important process continues.