ABOUT LOYOC
Local Youth Corner, Cameroon (LOYOC) is a national, non-governmental, non-profit making, youth cantered organization working with young people between the ages of 15 and 35. We are an Organization formed as a response to the increased frustration, alienation, socio-political and economic challenges of the Cameroonian youth, who find themselves at the crossroads of making wrong decisions and breaking the rules as a means of survival. These socio-economic challenges span from low selfesteem, high level unemployment, poor health care system, poverty, exclusion in decision and policy making, corruption, poor social justice system, instrumentalisation and many others, which has forced most young people to develop hate for the country and communities, destroyed all iota of patriotism, engage in violent extremist and unscrupulous activities as a means of leaving.
Created on January 10 2002, LOYOC Cameroon’s programmes development have focused on providing innovative solutions to these youth challenges as a way to promote sustainable peace and development, prevent and counter violent extremism. Our methodology spans from online and face to face advocacy, socio-cultural dialogue, evidence based research, developing curriculums, peer educators, capacity building, policy development and implementation, training, assessment, and advocacy just to name a few.
Over the years, Local Youth Corner has empowered over 1 million young people from across the Ten Regions of Cameroon and beyond. Our organization operates within the ten regions of Cameroon with a representative who is in charge of coordinating our initiatives at local level. Local Youth Corner Cameroon is one of the leading organization currently championing youth engagement in the fight against violent extremism in Cameroon. We are currently the lead organization advising the government on the creation of a National Center to Counter Youth Violence and Extremism.
Local Youth Corner is currently based in the Nations Capital, with head office in Damas Yaounde. We currently have six staff and several volunteer. Our organization has its tentacles across the ten regions of Cameroon. The Organisation is currently headed by Achaleke Christian Leke, who is an Award winning youth peace building and CVE activist with over nine years of experience working with the organization and other international and local organisations.
Within our 14 years of existence, we have engaged and worked with the following local and international partners; Cameroon National Youth Council, Cameroon Ministry of Youth Affairs and Civic Education and Ministry of External Relations, Office of the Prime Minister and Head of Government, Ministry of Defense, US Embassy in Cameroon, British High Commission in Cameroon, UN / UN Agencies, United Nations Inter-Agency Working Group on Youth, Peace and Security, UNOY, Commonwealth Secretariat / Youth Division, European Union, Search For Common Ground, US Department of State, United Network of Young Peace Builders, Institute of Strategic Dialogue (UK), Master Peace Movement, Creative Associates, EU CT MORSE, Global Center on Comparative Security/ International Center for Counter-Terrorism, Institute of Security Studies, CIVICUS, Plan UK, Restless Development, Global Counter Terrorism Forum, Actionaid, British Youth Council, Citizen Outreach Coalition UK, just to name a few
While developing its capacity to be able to generate income destined for programme delivery, LOYOC Cameroon continue to depend on partner funding to run our programmes.
Applicant’s past experience/expertise relevant to proposed project
Below are highlights projects realized and international representation by applicant organization:
2017: Empowering Youth Civil Society Actors as Agents of Rehabilitation and Reintegration (R-R) of People with a history of or Propensity for Violence in Cameroon. Funded by US Department of State 2016: Organiser of National Consultation on Youth and Government Collaboration in P/CVE as part of the Global Consultation headed by Search for Common Ground.
2016: Lead youth Organisation: Creation of the National Center to Counter Youth Violence and Extremism, Supported by the Prime Minister and Head of Government.
2016: Creative Skills for Peace project; building entrepreneurship, leadership and peace building skills of young people with a history or currently engaged violence in violence as a means prevent violent extremism and promote rehabilitation and reintegration.
2015: Present :Launched the Cameroon Youth Coalition against Youth Radicalisation and peace building; providing helping hands to become peace builders ( With this campaign we provide voluntary consultancy as peace building trainer for other civil society and state institutions – We worked with 20 CSOs )
2015: Developed the first ever National Training Manual on nonviolence, Conflict Prevention and Peace building in Cameroon (we have trained over 5000 young people with the manual, over 100 CSO leaders)
2015 to present: Launched the youth 4 peace advocacy campaign ; on the role of young people in the fight against violent extremism ( over 10,000 young people were sensitized through face to face and mass media, 10 advocacy meetings with government official and institutions)
2015:Organised the first ever dialogue between Youth Civil society activist and Street Children on the Instrumentalisation, radicalisation and Recruitment of street children by violent extremist groups as soldiers.
2015 : Organised four National Consultations on Governance and Accountabilitty in the Post 2015 Development Era, sponsored by Restless Development.
2014: Developed a video documentary to sensitise on youth radicalisation and recruitment as soldiers by violent extremist groups (It has so far been watched by over 3000 young people both offline and online.
2008: National Reflection Seminar on Human Rights and Violence sponsored by UNESCO Sub-Regional Office for Central Africa.
2007: Training Workshops for HIV/AIDS Peer Educators in Cameroon sponsored by the United States Embassy HIV/AIDS Taskforce.
2006: Training workshop for Youth Leaders on Leadership, Conflict Management and Project Planning sponsored by the Ministry of Youth Affairs Cameroon. Three
2005: Lead Youth Organisation for Cameroon in the Youth Development and Peace Network of the World Bank with a myriad of leadership roles assumed and projects realised with the World Bank Cameroon country office.
2005: First National Youth Conference supported by the British Council Cameroon
Most Recent International Participation in expert role
2016: Speaker on Youth Radicalisation and CVE, Commonwealth Parliamentarians Summit
2016 : Facilitator Regional Youth CVE Summit Maiduguri
2016: Speaker at the Global Counterterrorism Forum in Djibouti
2016: International Visitors Leadership Programme
2016: Speaker at World Bank Youth Forum (on Youth in peace building and UN Security Council Resolution 2250 in Washington DC
2016: Trainer at the Commonwealth / Institute of Strategic Dialogue Youth Innovation Lab on countering violent extremism in Africa, Rwanda.
2015: Keynote Speaker at the Global Summit against Violent Extremism, New York City
2015: Contributed in the development and advocacy for the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth Peace and Security.
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| Organising Youth P/CVE Dialogue with Civil Society orgnisations and governement instituions |
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| Staff and other Youth CVE actors at the Head office |
