The Cleau Hope Center, a prominent vocational training facility located in Okom-Ndamba, recently celebrated a major milestone with the graduation ceremony of its second class, marking the successful close of the 2025–2026 academic year.
The event served a dual purpose, as it also featured the official signing of a strategic partnership agreement with the NGO Wings For Africa, an organization dedicated to providing a free training model for disadvantaged children. Presided over by Mr. Foumbane Ako’o Roger Norbert, the Departmental Delegate of the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training – MINEFOP for Lekié, the ceremony brought together various dignitaries, including traditional rulers, educational leaders, and diplomatic representatives.
During the event, local leaders and administrative officials expressed deep gratitude for the center’s ongoing impact on the community. The third-degree chief of Nkom-Ndamba, Nnanga Nga Emmanuel, lauded the institution as a highly credible alternative to general education for local youth. Reflecting on the center’s journey since its inauguration just over four years ago, the MINEFOP Departmental Delegate noted with satisfaction that his previous appeals for young people to pursue manual trades have been strongly embraced, praising the lasting community impact made by the center’s founder, Ms. Clémence Audrey.
In her address, Ms. Clémence Audrey reiterated the center’s core philosophy that every young person deserves an equal opportunity to build a secure future, regardless of their social circumstances. She described the Cleau Hope Center not simply as a technical facility, but as a sanctuary dedicated to restoring dignity to often-forgotten youth.
The founder also extended special acknowledgment to the German Embassy, whose vital material and financial support equipped the center’s modern workshops with state-of-the-art machinery. This sentiment was echoed by Mr. Knut Zuchan, Chargé d’Affaires of the German Embassy, who highlighted that their contribution aligns perfectly with the center’s mission to better train vulnerable youth.
The ceremony featured lively practical demonstrations that showcased the tangible skills acquired by the students, who are aged between 14 and 17. A major highlight of the day was an elegant fashion show organized by the Clothing Industry program, where young models confidently walked the runway wearing outfits they had designed and crafted themselves. Ngono Clémentine La Grace, the valedictorian of the program, shared an emotional testimony thanking her instructors for the free, life-changing training and urged other young people in the region to seize the vocational opportunities offered by the institution.
Looking ahead, the future remains exceptionally bright for both the institution and its graduates, boasting a remarkable job placement rate of nearly 80% from its very first graduating class. To maintain this momentum and continuously adapt to evolving societal needs, Ms. Audrey announced the upcoming launch of a fourth training program, Home Care Assistant, set to begin in September 2026.
As the event concluded, the underlying sentiment remained clear: the Cleau Hope Center continues to act as a vital laboratory of hope, enabling Cameroonian youth to actively build their futures one practical skill at a time.
