Youth & Women Employment & Empowerment Project (Cameroon)

The Youth and Women Employment and Empowerment Project is UNDP’s contribution to reducing youth and women’s unemployment and empowering them. Specifically, it aims to: (i) provide equal access to quality training and guidance for young men and women; (ii) ensure and promote equal access to entrepreneurship coaching for young men and women; (iii) promote equal access to information on job market opportunities for young men and women; and (iv) accelerate the empowerment of youth and women through training and the transfer of vital entrepreneurship skills.

Outcomes

• This project has two major outcomes:
  • Outcome 1: Technical and operational capacities are provided to formalized SMEs, startups, and cooperatives led by young people and women to develop inclusive value chains in the agro-industry and the green economy. With this outcome, Cameroonian youth and women will have solutions to: (i) acquire useful skills to create and/or consolidate their activities/start-ups in the agri-food and green economy value chains; (ii) focus on digital solutions supporting activities related to agri-food and the green economy (recycling). The digital solution identified through this mapping should accelerate results around the identified value chain.
  • Outcome 2: SMEs and Startups led by young people and women have increased access to the AfCFTA through innovative solutions, including digital ones. The project will facilitate access to the necessary skills to prepare young people and women for the African market, a common concern in most African countries. Digital hubs will play a key role in developing the digital ecosystem to facilitate access for young people and women to the AfCFTA. Support for selected projects will be provided through four (4) modalities: i) mobilization of technical assistance for capacity building; ii) direct financial contribution to investment for production, acquisition of light equipment; iii) digital solution for the digitalization of transactions (e-recording).

Who can apply?

• This call for proposals is intended for MSMEs, startups, and formal businesses (legally constituted) led by a woman (18–65 years old) in the sectors of agro-industry, the green economy, and digital innovation related to agro-industry and the green economy, with high potential for job creation and located in Cameroonian territory.
• The ideal businesses could be in the following segments of the value chain:
  • Companies in production
  • Companies in transformation
  • Companies in packaging
  • Companies in marketing

Eligibility Criteria

• The eligibility of the company and the promoter will include:
  • Be an SME or startup led by a legally constituted woman based in Cameroon (attach a copy of the promoter’s identity card);
  • Operate in the fields of agro-industry, green economy, and digital innovation value chains (present supporting documentation);
  • Have needs related to accelerating or growing its activity (present a compliant business model);
  • Have job creation potential favoring the integration of women or employing at least 50% women (provide justification);
  • Do not currently be engaged in a support process by another technical and financial partner (ongoing support or within the last 6 months).
  • Be willing to sign a commitment of non-defamation or non-claim.

For more information, visit UNDP.