Ensuring that children, young people and their communities have access to protection, quality inclusive education, information and health services, as well as decent jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities have for over thirty years now been the sole objectives of Plan International Cameroon.

For these objectives to be attained, the Non-Governmental Organization NGO has put in place various programs and projects that are geared towards this goal. In the East region, these programs are done under the leadership of Dorine Ngo Djon, Program Influencing and Implementation Area Manager at Plan International Cameroon, PIIAM, Bertoua. In an exclusive interview granted female Journalists of the association JAFEC, the Area manager gave an assessment of the actions carried out by Plan in the region till date.

“The East Region was the beneficiary of the very first sponsored child in 1996. From there began the expansion of child sponsorship, which today covers three divisions and nine municipalities. In this region, Plan works in various sectors. In the Child Protection and Education sectors, primary and secondary school infrastructure are built. Plan contributes in terms of development and humanitarian action. In the health and nutrition domain, focus is on primary health, community health, and nutrition. There is the installation of numerous boreholes in schools and construction of latrine blocks in the WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) program. For their livelihood, we provide individual support to small-scale farmers and livestock breeders through training and improved seeds.

Plan places a cross-cutting emphasis on gender equality to encourage women’s empowerment and increase their representation in decision-making bodies—from community volunteers and health workers to village and management committees. For the past five years, there has also been a strong focus on youth engagement to find sustainable solutions and involve young people in decision-making”, She said.

Going further, she explained why the adoption of a community-based development approach for the implementation of the various projects was essential.

“The community based approach is the best. Whether projects are implemented directly or indirectly with UN agencies, world bank or through the sponsorship program, the foundation is the community volunteers. They are chosen by the residents themselves to ensure clarity and establish confidence. Community health workers handle health projects, while community agents manage child protection, education, and sexual and reproductive rights. For sponsorship-funded projects, we sign partnership agreements with municipalities. They identify and prioritize their own needs during sessions. To ensure local development, Village development committees select projects based on an estimated budget. These proposals are sent to a management committee—comprising the town hall and representatives of the sponsored children’s mothers—who ensure the projects cover the relevant communities. We provide training in project management and themes like inclusive education, while offering guidance to ensure projects achieve results within their allocated budgets”, said Dorine Ngo Djon.

Great impacts of the various programs instituted are felt in every sector, from health to means of subsistence.

“The impact is visible across several sectors, In terms of Health and Reproductive Rights, Plan has established three sexual health units for adolescents. It has also successfully advocated for free consultations and specific care for girls and women, which has been operational since 2025 in facilities like the Doumé District Hospital and the Mandjou Medical Center. In terms of livelihood and autonomy, we launched fish ponds and poultry farms in 2025. In Lom-et-Djerem, poultry sites are already on their fourth cycle of roughly 250 chickens. At least five fish ponds (with over 1,000 fingerlings each) are on their second cycle. This promotes sustainable empowerment, allowing families to feed themselves and generate income to pay for schooling and healthcare. We have recorded successes in terms of maternal health as there has been surge in prenatal consultations over the last five years thanks to community health workers sensitizing pregnant women. Malnutrition rates have decreased due to door-to-door screening for acute malnutrition in children under five and teaching mothers recipes for balanced nutritional porridges. We also encourage vocational training through the organization of professional workshops where youths are trained on certain skills like tailoring, agriculture, hairdressing, mechanics and more. During trade fares, they get the opportunity to showcase their talents and products to the appreciation of others as well as to generate income form sales”, outlined the PIIAM.

Thanks to the efforts of the NGO, inhabitants of Baka Mayos are beginning to see the light at the tunnel. Construction of classrooms, houses, portable water sources and also donations are being made to the locality. This gesture by Plan Cameroon has been well received by the people who were urged to maintain the infrastructure in good shape. It has paved the way for many children to gain access to education, good health and portable drinking water.

With two teachers, a director and a volunteer, the education sector, though present, seems to be a call for concern as most of the youths especially girls of a certain age do not go to school because they are being mislead by young boys from neighboring villages, causing them to derail from the path of education. This situation is a call for concern as Libala Justine, the oldest member of the Baka Mayos people as well as Noutcheguenou Dieudonné, the local traditional ruler encouraged the youths to take their future into their hands and be a model for their peers just like Sosso Gladys who, as one of the children sponsored by Plan, is following a training at the Center for Promotion of Women and the Family. At 16 years, she is referred to as the pride of the village.

It is worth noting that as a means of subsistence, the locality possesses a museum where various works of arts are being exposed and money is made from the visitors and tourists who visit the area. This alongside agriculture, hunting and other activities are what keep the people of Baka Mayos up and living.