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YES Alumni Grant: Empowering Women to Be the Change

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By Yosimbom Sakinatu (YES 2018-2019, Cameroon, placed with PAX in Farr West, UT)

I'm Sakina, and I spent my life-changing YES exchange year in Farr West, UT. Growing up, I always loved to make others happy because it made me feel fulfilled. My exchange year taught me that there is a name to that passion: volunteerism. My exchange student experience made me realize that my goal in life is to always serve others.

My country — and my community, Ngaoundere — is a lovely place to be. People are very welcoming, kind, sociable, and fun to be around. But our culture and traditions have always regarded women and girls as fragile humans, who need to be protected and told what to do. This has left our women in a position where they can't voice their wants and needs. With development, women are coming to be more included in the community, but change is slow. 

students working at desks

Growing up female in my community, I never knew I could lead. I was ignorant about my rights and abilities, and I suffered from (and sometimes still suffer from) low self-esteem. The presence of women in leadership positions in Cameroon is rare. Women are discouraged from entrepreneurship because it is thought to be a “man's job.” We hear about instances of violence against women every day, and our community sees beautiful women going through numerous surgeries just to fit in to what the society defines as “beautiful.” I applied for a YES Alumni Grant to help the girls and women in my community escape this mindset and show them that they are full of talent and ability.

My grant project empowered 35 young women, mostly between the ages of 14 to 36, with education and training on leadership, entrepreneurship, reproductive health, HIV awareness and prevention, self-esteem, and violence against women. Our workshop sessions were led by my alumni project team and expert trainers, who led participants through group work, activities, and discussion sessions that gave participants the opportunity to express themselves and develop their skills. 

Teacher standing in front of a chalkboard that says, "You Are Welcome"

By the end of the workshop, 100% of participants agreed that the workshop had greatly and positively impacted their lives. After a session on entrepreneurship, one participant said, “What I will go back home with is this quote from the trainer: ‘Be job creators and not job seekers.’” Another participant commented, "I was mind-blown when we talked about violence against women. I learned that violence is not only physical but mental as well, and we should always seek help." A delegate on community issues of women and family was invited to attend the opening and closing ceremonies and noted that she was impressed “by the fact that [you] young girls are all here to talk about ways to raise our women up. Keep up the initiative!”

As a result of this workshop, I created a women’s association called Ngaoundere Young Women Volunteers. We recently did our first project, collecting shoes, books, and school supplies to help children from the orphanage prepare to go back to school. We also set up a tutoring schedule to help the children with their academics. We intend to carry out more projects in the future. I'm happy that I was able to introduce these ladies to volunteering and community service.

People smiling in a selfie

During this project, I grew significantly. My communication skills improved, and I learned to improvise and problem solve. My team was made up of YES Alumni and volunteers, who helped make this project successful, and I learned about the importance of teamwork. This project not only impacted the participants, but also the trainers, volunteers, community, and myself. I'm planning to do more projects on women and girls’ empowerment to continue making a difference.

I would like to thank the funder of this grant opportunity, the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. I would also like to extend my thanks and gratitude to the YES program. And a huge thanks to my high school, Savannah Bilingual College, for providing the venue, my teammates, volunteers, and trainers. None of this would have been possible without you all.


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