(Business in Cameroon) - Over the past few years, the African Development Bank (AfDB) has facilitated 12-month internships for 284 young Cameroonians on various projects in Cameroon. These internships are part of the Youth Employability Support Program implemented in the country, we learned.

On April 9, a meeting was held in Yaounde between AfDB executives, Cameroonian women entrepreneurs, and young graduates who benefited from the program. During the gathering, Serge N’Guessan, the AfDB's Central Africa Regional Director and Representative in Cameroon, explained that the interns who participate in the program typically work on various projects, such as disbursement assistance, procurement assistance, engineering for road projects, archiving, among other roles."At least seven of them have been hired by the Ministry of Public Works," he added.

Dieudonné Toukea, a program participant, shared his experience: "This first internship really opened up opportunities for my peers and myself. It allowed me to develop further activities after my internship and to seek additional qualifications, which now enable me to work in consulting. I am grateful for the opportunity we were given."

Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade, AfDB Vice President for Regional Development, Integration, and Service Delivery, said: "The Bank is open to funding projects initiated by these interns to facilitate their socio-professional integration through the creation of their own businesses."