Inclusive Economic opportunities

We believe that when economic opportunity is inclusive for every community and every person, significant development happens. To contribute towards this, we work to see that youths, women & disabled persons have access (early in their life) to needed information, basic to advance knowledge, skills and technology, to pursue in-demand contemporary jobs, business aspirations & opportunities. Specifically, for these people and communities, we:

1). Provide guidance with contemporary career choices and planning towards rewarding, impactful & successful careers

i. Help youths identify Interest & talent through assessment and evaluation: Situational assessment & counseling will focus on helping individuals identify and better articulate their unique interests, personality, values, beliefs, preferences and talent to determine how well they may match with a fulfilling career path. This sets precedence to an effective career support plan and execution.

ii. Provide access to vital information that supports contemporary career and learning choices i.e the necessary breakthrough window of opportunities to discover the tasks, experience, education and training plan for a career of choice (and provide adequate support with implementation) through inspiring events featuring occupation specific information sessions, seminars on professions & trades and networking opportunities.

iii. Contribute to reverse the low interest and participation in careers in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields by investing in young people in ways that improve perceptions & interest in pursuing STEM education and related careers and to increase knowledge of STEM disciplines and their interconnectivity through everyday applications.

PS: There is a need for innovative solutions to sub-Saharan Africa’s biggest challenges, but only 4-12% of students graduate with STEM-related degrees (JA Africa, 2021).

2). Facilitate acquisition of appropriate and adequate skills/capacities to access available livelihood opportunities; with emphasis in quality early (childhood) learning, TVET (Technical & Vocational Education & Training) and leadership skills:

Facilitate access to high quality education & training that not only builds theoretical knowledge for young adults & youths, but equally bridges the gap between what the ideal progressive society and competitive global work place is looking for (right mindset-attitude-knowledge-skills mix) and what most of our young people possess (good to excellent school leaving credentials & inappropriate attitude|poor skill preparedness: inappropriate ethics & etiquette, poor communication, insecurity, wrong priorities, wrong habits, lack of commitment), so that they become more recognized and valuable in a global workforce and more competitive. Engage in the following activities to do these:

i. Quality Early (Childhood) Learning: Promote early start in shaping appropriate mindsets & skillset for children by accompanying them within a conducive environment, through the motor (physical), communication & language, cognitive and social & emotional areas of development:- Child Day Care & Preschool Program.

ii. Academic upgrading; Provide bridging program opportunities for adults from a variety of academic backgrounds to gain prerequisite (entrance requirements) for post-secondary study.

iii. Promote technical & vocational training: that develops hard skills through TVET (Technical & vocational education and training) – and especially revival of the technical component of it.

iv. Connect youths to university scholarships locally and around the world – working with high achieving, low-income students who dare to dream big enough to study abroad; providing advice, encouragement and support with applying for university.

v).  Assist youths and young adults develop appropriate attitudes and competencies to become well-spoken, task efficient, confident, more effective, more recognized beyond just credentials, valuable and more competitive collaborators & leaders in a global work force. Core activities in connection with this include: Various initiatives around work readiness & leadership training, counseling & mentoring: 

• Basic Life Skills training & mentoring – as per UNICEF developed BLS curriculum.
• Preventive education & counseling against common risk-taking behavior (minor to high crimes and misdemeanors including substance abuse, sexual risk taking & thievery) that can lead to highly morbid and even fatal outcomes.
• Model workplace programs, Job shadowing and work experience placement
• Access into national & international youth leadership programs

Through community learning resource Centers; among other things provide access to affordable internet, affordable devices, and digital skills to keep up with school, work readiness training, and telehealth.

3). Stimulate and promote manufacturing & essential service orienservice-oriented entrepreneurship that is sustainable and climate action compliant

Unemployment and its immediate consequences (including among others lack of a means of livelihood, poverty, high crime wave and youth de,linquency), continue to be a major challenge for national governments and communities across the world – and in varying proportions. In some countries like Cameroon with a general unemployment rate as high as 3.90 %, the need for private sector growth has never been this pressing and what’s more the need to ,foster more local manufacturing. The private sector and especially manufacturing in every economy is supposed to be leader in susthe tainable job creation. According to the World bank, in manyBank-Saharan countries only 4.5% of the adult workforce is part of a formal private sector that is regrettably void of any serious manufacturing. What is Deviin going to do to help this situation?

The basis of our initial founding 20 years ago as CYGRACIG (Cameroon Young Graduates common Initiative Group); this thematic area is reminiscence a of Deviin’s origins. We have always believed that all people deserve to earn a livelihood and that unleashing entrepreneurship (especially one that is local manufacturing oriented and through young graduate’s ingraduates’reative minds), is a powerful way to alleviate poverty. Thus, we go beyond just supporting young people choose, studyto  towards and pursue a career as an employee, to also support them create sustainable/business solutions to poverty through innovation & entrepreneurship. This would be our contribution to creating the much needed emuch-needed the global south that drives manufacturing/essential service orienservice-orientedship & innovation, job creation (and ultimately economic growth) through young people and women. Thus, Deviin would serve as a youth innovation & entrepreneurship catalyst – specifically advocating for a more enabling business environment, forge collaboforgingn with public & private sector stakeholders, encourage innencouragingy attracting and nurturing new creative geniuses, encourage newencouragingneurs through inspirational events and carry out buscarrying incubation, training & mentoring. To bring about even more jobs, also promote (actually create) social and commercial enterprises as independent entities in alignment with our thematic activities.

Initial focusThe initialareas including basic manufacturing & transformation, technology, learning & skills development, waste management & recycling, agriculture, value chain & allied services (agri-production and trade; undertake a number of initiatives working with relevant partners to foster sustainable agri-production/agri-business with a focus around the 3 main agricultural commodities sectors including Coffee, Cocoa, rice, fresh fruits & vegetables – with the aim farmers improve their production volume & quality, capture market opportunities and obtain fair deals i.e sustainable production, inclusive markets, enabling environments).