We are a leading youth-led, non-profit, and non-governmental organization created in 2002 to respond to the increase in the socio-political and economic challenges facing young people such as; unemployment, bad governance, gender-based violence, and lack of quality education, poverty, and corruption, the poor social justice system, and exclusion in the decision-making processes which serves as push and pull factors to youth radicalization, involvement in crime, violence and in conflict with the law.
Through our offices across the Cameroon, we are focused on promoting the empowerment of young people aged 15 to 35 (males and females) in the domain of sustainable development, peacebuilding, and countering violent extremism and humanitarian response. In 2022, we expanded our engagement capacity into Chad, Niger with our partner organizations. We apply a Positive Youth Development Approach that strengthens the assets/skills, sense of agency, an opportunity for contributions, and the enabling environment for youth.
Since 2002, we have implemented over 700 youth development projects, reached over 4 million young people; working with over 200 national and international development partners including, UNDP, UNESCO, IOM, UNICEF, the Commonwealth, World Bank, African Union, Diplomatic missions, EU, and a host of others. Our work has received several national and international recognitions including; Luxemburg Peace Prize, Commonwealth Youth Award of Excellence in Development Work, Best Youth-led peace building organization by Ministry of Youth; Best Covid19 Response organization in Cameroon and a host of others.
OUR AREAS OF OPERATION
Our Operations in the country is led by our Head Office in Yaoundé. We currently run four field offices based in Yaoundé (covering Centre, South and East Regions); Maroua (covering the Far North, North and Adamawa regions) and Buea (covering South West, Littoral regions); and Bamenda (North West, and West regions).
LOYOC seeks to support youth empowerment and participation in peacebuilding, prevent violent extremism, and advance sustainable development to ensure peaceful communities.
LOYOC is working towards the day when young people are respected and engaged as key partners in building a peaceful, prosperous and violence-free society.
LOYOC has a goal to strengthen bonds between young people, development stakeholders and government at various levels, to work together for sustainable peace and development in Cameroon.
OUR CORE VALUES
We bring “humanity back to peace building” by focusing solely on people and making sure that peace, security and development responses supersede identity issues and build solidarity especially with people in most need.
We recognise the powerful role played by young people, women, people leaving with disability and local communities in times of violence and violent conflicts. We want to ensure that the muted voices are heard, resources are fairly shared and partnerships are equitable and dignified.
We uphold the powerful role of young people and women in peace, security and development taking into consideration their own ideas, values, lifestyles, preferences, needs abilities and desires in design, implementing, monitoring and evaluation of responses.
We are determined to increase genuine accountability to and with our beneficiaries, donors, partners and the public by making our activities and functioning more transparent.
While we seek to collaborate and benefit from support from government and other stakeholders, we remain apolitical, independent of our views and guided by our vision and mission. We work to build a sense of self-reliance for young people and their communities to meet their own priorities, in partnership with others.