It was an exciting kick start for the entire LOYOC team as they all set out for the 2021 Annual Retreat. All LOYOC official Staff from across the country gathered at the head office on August 8^th 2021, ready for a road trip to the EBOGO Touristic site, destination for the First part of the Retreat. In effect, the LOYOC’s Annual Retreat is a well-kept tradition initiated by her Board of Directors since 2016. This annual event comes up towards the end of every working year. This activity is aimed at improving collaboration, capacity building, resolving issues and teambuilding of LOYOC staff from all branch offices. The annual retreat also ushers the recognition and award of the two best employees of the year. The fourth edition of the LOYOC annual retreat was held from the 08^th-14^th of August 2021 at the Ebogo Touristic Site, Mbalmayo, Centre Region of Cameroon, for the first Part and the second Part continued at the LOYOC Head office in Yaoundé.

For the 1st part, the team’s activities ranged from carefully selected activities such as; policy presentations, lessons learned from previous years/recommendations, problem solving sessions, skills building, camp fires, cooking, sharing meals, gender inclusive football games, etc. With all team members participating, the first part served its purpose of enhancing knowledge in the organisation’s policies, solving problems and cementing professional links between the staff. 

The 2^nd part of the retreat took place in the LOYOC head office and featured a careful quality selection of speakers who took the team through topics such as, Effective Project Planning and Management, Building Entrepreneurial Spirit within the Civil Society, Financial Procedures in Civil Society, strategic communication within the organization & strategic picture taking, Fostering Inter-Generational Leadership, presentation of the LOYOC Organigram. By the end of this part of activities, all staff agreed to have learnt a lot and carried a lot with them as they get back to the day to day activities.

This retreat has been quite productive to me, providing the opportunity to get to know colleagues more and building relationships to help promote further collaborations especially among our different offices. I look forward to the next retreat already. – Elora, Project Officer, LOYOC South West Office

Our Annual Retreats are not just a moment of relaxation, we ensure that the topics shared on by our invited speakers will elate our staff not only at a professional level but also keep them personally inspired, having speakers like the ones we had this year has sure served such purposes –Besong Malet, Admin and Human Resource Manager. 

The LOYOC annual retreat for the year 2021 remains engraved in the hearts and minds of each and every staff who all consider the experience to have built them professionally and also at a personal Level. Staff remain grateful to the Board of Director who initiated this practise a few years ago and equally to the administration for a rich curriculum of activities.