Cameroon
Saving Water Sources with the Youths
Youth Development Organization-Yodo Cameroon is geared towards empowering future eco-entrepreneurs to actively participate in restoration programmes in the North West Region of Cameroon. The goal is to train youths as tree nursery experts in vegetative propagation techniques for sustainable development and biodiversity restauration.
An initiative of Youth Development Organization Yodo-Cameroon
Overview of the project
Activities are geared towards empowering future eco-entrepreneurs to actively participate in restoration programmes in the North West Region of Cameroon. The idea is to put youths at the forefront is to ensure continuity, and sustainable use of water resources in the nearest future.
The initiative in its entirety consists of planting native trees in and around 10 water catchments in the Nkambe plateau. These water sources, which have been exposed, are gradually drying off.
Of the 10 water sources, 4 have been rehabilated since last year with 12.000 trees planted. The trees were planted with the participation of students and pupils, as well as village youths. The project was supported by an electricity poles treatment company, one youth leader, and later the Nkambe council. 60% of the resources came from Yodo Cameroon. This is our way to try and give back to our communities.
This year, we intend to take on the protection of 4 other sources with about 200 students and pupils who will participate in the planting exercise. At the end, the school or community beneficiaries take the pledge to care for the trees.
The purpose is to create public awareness on the importance of planting trees, and actually doing it. We want to stress the need to put young people at the forefront of restoration and sustainbility programmes because the future belongs to them, so it's in their hands. The idea is equally to engage rural youths in participating in sustainable lifestyles, and instill in them the notion of sustainability.
Pilote operation, experimentation
04/01/2020 - Still in progress
The outcome of the project is that as of date:
- 95% of the trees we planted have survived
- The water sources are showing an increase in greenery
- The encroachment into water sources by farmers and grazers has stopped
- Rampant bush fires have reduced due to the fact that traditional and administrative injuctions have been put in place in those areas
- We equally mobilized over 200 school pupils, 200 students and five youth groups to take part in the planting exercise
- We used to opportunity to lecture to them the importance of water
We received support from the electricity poles treatment company, Camitex, a young contractor named Tamfu Jude, who gave us support, and then later on the City Council equally gave us some support. But 60% of the funds were generated by us from sales of tree seedlings of our tree nursery.
About the
organisation
organisation
Youth Development Organization-Yodo Cameroon is a youth result-oriented organization based in Nkambe in the North West Region of Cameroon. We work with young people, youth groups / organizations, farmers and communities.
Our activities are geared towards empowering our target groups in sustainable management of natural resources. We are involved in growing and planting trees, from the tree nursery to the fields.
We train youths in techniques of vegetative propagation, and plastic waste management.
We work with farmers to use Nature-based Solutions in restoring degraded farmlands, as well as with schools, and communities to restore biodiversity through the protection of water sources.