Youth Empowerment: CFPAM and MINJEC open talks on a second phase
On the 2nd November 2026 a delegation from the Professional Training Centre for Arts and Crafts (CFPAM) was received in audience at the MINJEC headquarters conference room, following the opening ceremony of the centre’s professional session earlier the same day.
By Charlie LEKISABIH SAMBIT
Led by its promoter, TATKEU NVENEMBOMI JOB, the delegation included the centre’s administrators and several graduates. He presented CFPAM’s training programmes, which last 6 to 12 months and combine practical instruction, company and field visits, a professional internship and job placement through selected partners. He noted progress made with the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training under the “One Youth, One Trade, One Job” vision, which targets about 20,000 young people. CFPAM has already mobilized and trained nearly 700.
The promoter said he wants a second phase of collaboration with MINJEC’s technical structures, notably the National Youth Observatory (ONJ). The goals are to digitize the institution’s data, increase youth registration on the ONJ platform and enrol some beneficiaries in the Biometric Youth Card. For 2026-2030, CFPAM asked MINJEC to renew the High Patronage and co-chairmanship of the Strategic Steering Committee, strengthen institutional support, including access to ONJ data and an accreditation letter for partners, support the CFPAM Cooperative as a youth social economy model and integrate the CFPAM-MINJEC Scholarship Program into Youth Connekt Cameroon.CFPAM argued that integration would give young people access to the Youth Connekt Africa network, link 5,000 of them to jobs, internships and mentorship, and open funding windows with partners such as UNDP and AfDB. In return, it pledged to train and equip 5,000 young people, run the Cooperative and its solidarity fund, and publish semi-annual monitoring and evaluation reports.
The Secretary General of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Civic Education, ZACHÉE ROBERT THÉOPHILE BENGA representative of Minister MOUNOUNA FOUTSOU, reiterated the requests and called for joint ventures and internships with the Multipurpose Youth Empowerment Centres, clear Ministry expectations for the session, recognition of CFPAM’s support needs, and a partnership with the CJB ecosystem. The audience ended with graduates presenting gifts for the Minister of Youth Affairs and Civic Education.
