One Teenager, One Skill Project

Project Overview

The One Teenager, One Skill Project is a youth empowerment initiative implemented by New Dawn Foundation to equip adolescents with practical entrepreneurial skills, creative thinking, and essential life skills. The project combines entrepreneurship education, sexual and reproductive health education (SRHR), and menstrual hygiene management to help young people become confident, innovative, and self-reliant.

Implemented in collaboration with schools, faith communities, and community partners, the project empowers teenagers with practical knowledge and hands-on skills that improve their well-being while preparing them for future economic opportunities.

Background

Many young people in Cameroon complete their education with limited exposure to entrepreneurship, innovation, and practical problem-solving. At the same time, many adolescent girls lack access to accurate information on sexual and reproductive health and are unable to afford menstrual hygiene products, contributing to absenteeism from school, poor menstrual health, and reduced self-confidence.

Recognizing these challenges, New Dawn Foundation designed the One Teenager, One Skill Project to nurture creativity, encourage entrepreneurial thinking, and provide adolescents with the knowledge and practical skills needed to make informed decisions, generate income, and lead healthy, productive lives.

Project Objectives

The project aimed to:

• Introduce teenagers to entrepreneurship and innovation.
• Develop creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
• Build practical income-generating skills among adolescents.
• Promote sexual and reproductive health education.
• Improve menstrual hygiene knowledge and practices.
• Teach participants to produce reusable sanitary pads as an affordable and environmentally friendly solution to period poverty.
• Inspire young people to become confident, responsible, and self-reliant members of their communities.

Project Activities

During the one-week programme, participants took part in interactive learning sessions that combined theory with practical demonstrations.

Activities included:

• Entrepreneurship and innovation workshops.
• Creative group exercises using locally available materials to design practical solutions to everyday problems.
• Team presentations where participants explained their ideas and demonstrated their problem-solving abilities.
• Practical training in the production of commercial hand-crafted beads for income generation.
• Comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education sessions.
• Menstrual hygiene education, including menstrual cycle awareness and healthy hygiene practices.
• Practical demonstrations on producing, cleaning, drying, and safely reusing environmentally friendly reusable sanitary pads.

The training encouraged active participation, teamwork, creativity, and practical learning throughout the programme.

Target Beneficiaries

The project targeted:

• Adolescents aged 12–15 years.
• Learners from primary and secondary schools.
• Young people from local faith communities.
• Teenagers from vulnerable and low-income households.

Results and Impact

The project directly trained 120 adolescents over a one-week period.

By the end of the programme:

• All participants had been introduced to entrepreneurship and creative problem-solving.
• Participants successfully designed and presented innovative solutions using locally available materials.
• Every participant learned to produce commercial hand-crafted beads with the potential to generate income.
• Participants demonstrated practical knowledge of producing reusable sanitary pads using simple materials.
• Adolescents gained improved knowledge of sexual and reproductive health, menstrual health, and personal hygiene.
• Girls were empowered with practical, low-cost solutions to manage menstruation with confidence and dignity.

Beyond the technical skills acquired, the project encouraged participants to see themselves as innovators capable of creating opportunities rather than waiting for them.

Partnerships

The project was implemented in partnership with:

• Girls Excel
• Community Organisation for Youth Development (COYOD)
• Community leaders
• Local schools
• Faith-based institutions

These partnerships strengthened community participation and ensured that the programme reached adolescents in safe and supportive learning environments.

Project Location

Location: South West Region, Cameroon

The project was delivered through schools, community spaces, and faith-based institutions within local communities.

Sustainability

The One Teenager, One Skill Project equips young people with practical skills that remain valuable long after the training ends. Participants can continue producing handcrafted beads for income generation and reusable sanitary pads for personal use, reducing household costs while promoting environmentally sustainable menstrual hygiene practices.

By embedding entrepreneurship, creativity, and life skills at an early age, the project lays the foundation for a generation of young people who are innovative, self-reliant, and equipped to contribute positively to their communities.

Looking Ahead

New Dawn Foundation plans to expand the One Teenager, One Skill Project to reach more schools, faith-based institutions, and communities across Cameroon. Future editions will introduce additional vocational and digital skills while strengthening entrepreneurship education, leadership development, and adolescent health programming. Through strategic partnerships, the Foundation aims to empower thousands more young people with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to transform their futures.

Project Highlights

• Duration: One week
• Location: South West Region, Cameroon
• Direct Beneficiaries: 120 adolescents
• Age Group: 12–15 years
• Focus Areas: Entrepreneurship, Creativity, Sexual and Reproductive Health Education, Menstrual Hygiene Management, Income Generation
• Partners: Girls Excel, Community Organisation for Youth Development (COYOD), Local Schools, Faith-Based Institutions

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Free Revision Classes for Conflict-Affected Learners (2018–2020)

Project Overview

The Free Revision Classes for Conflict-Affected Learners was an education support initiative implemented by New Dawn Foundation in Limbe, South West Region, Cameroon, between March and May of 2018, 2019, and 2020. The project was designed to help learners displaced by the Anglophone crisis recover lost learning time and prepare effectively for the General Certificate of Education (GCE) Ordinary and Advanced Level examinations.

By mobilizing volunteer teachers and collaborating with local education authorities, the project provided structured catch-up lessons to students whose education had been interrupted by conflict and forced displacement.

Background

The ongoing Anglophone conflict in Cameroon resulted in widespread displacement of families and prolonged school closures in many affected communities. Thousands of learners were forced to flee their homes to safer towns such as Limbe, Buea, and Douala, leaving many without access to formal education for several months.

As examination periods approached, many displaced students faced the possibility of dropping out of school or sitting for national examinations without adequate preparation. New Dawn Foundation responded by creating a safe learning environment where these learners could catch up on missed lessons and regain confidence in their education.

Project Objectives

The project sought to:

• Provide free catch-up classes for conflict-affected learners.
• Prepare displaced students for the GCE Ordinary and Advanced Level examinations.
• Reduce school dropout among learners affected by conflict.
• Restore confidence and hope through access to quality education.
• Support displaced learners in successfully completing their secondary education.

Project Activities

To achieve these objectives, New Dawn Foundation:

• Conducted community mobilization to identify eligible learners.
• Worked with community leaders and quarter heads to reach displaced families.
• Recruited volunteer teachers across a wide range of academic subjects.
• Organized structured revision classes covering the full GCE syllabus.
• Provided academic guidance, mentoring, and examination preparation.
• Created opportunities for learners to ask questions and strengthen their understanding of difficult topics.

Classes covered all major GCE subjects and were delivered in a supportive learning environment that encouraged active participation and academic excellence.

Target Beneficiaries

The project primarily served:

• Learners displaced by the Anglophone conflict.
• Students whose schools had been closed because of insecurity.
• Candidates preparing for the GCE Ordinary Level and Advanced Level examinations.
• Vulnerable young people at risk of dropping out of school due to prolonged disruption of their education.

Results and Impact

Over three years, the project directly supported 177 conflict-affected learners.

2018

• 60 learners enrolled.
• 85% achieved success in the GCE examinations.

2019

• 62 learners enrolled.
• 90% achieved success in the GCE examinations.

2020

• 55 learners enrolled.
• 82% achieved success in the GCE examinations.

Beyond examination success, the project enabled many participants to continue their education. Several beneficiaries have since completed secondary school, pursued university studies, earned degrees, and secured employment, demonstrating the long-term impact of restoring educational opportunities during times of crisis.

Partnerships

The project was implemented in close collaboration with:

• The Divisional Delegation of Basic Education
• The Divisional Delegation of Secondary Education
• Community leaders and quarter heads
• Volunteer teachers and education professionals

These partners supported the initiative by providing official syllabuses, volunteer educators, classrooms, and technical guidance throughout the implementation period.

Project Location

Venue: Government School Bota I (Government School Bojongo/Bota I campus, Limbe)

Location: Limbe, South West Region, Cameroon

Sustainability

The project demonstrated that community-led volunteer initiatives can help bridge educational gaps during humanitarian crises. By leveraging partnerships with education authorities and volunteer teachers, New Dawn Foundation provided quality learning opportunities at no cost to vulnerable learners while strengthening community ownership of education.

The project’s impact continues through the achievements of former participants, many of whom have progressed to higher education and employment, contributing positively to their families and communities.

Looking Ahead

New Dawn Foundation remains committed to ensuring that conflict and displacement do not deprive children and young people of their right to education. Building on the success of this initiative, the Foundation seeks to expand education support programs that provide academic recovery, mentorship, and learning opportunities for vulnerable learners affected by emergencies and other barriers to education.