LUKMEF: National Volunteering Program

  Cameroon

Limbe

Durations of Program: 1-2 weeks, 3-6 months, 7-12 months and 1-2 years
Typical Duration of Program: 3-6 months
Dates: Throught the year

Description: This program is a volunteer scheme for graduates. Through the National Youth Civic Services Projects (NYCS) graduates will act as volunteers in the community. This project is designed to be a multi-directional project that benefits the rural and semi-urban communities as well as the participating youths. In all, it benefits the nation by driving its anti-poverty programs in a number of ways, namely:

* Improving the living condition of those in the rural communities through youth voluntary services in the domain of agriculture, health, education, water, environment, infrastructure building etc
* Providing young high school and university graduates with the needed work experience to increase their chances in the job market.
* Promoting greater sense of patriotism among youths by exposing them to the realities of different community life in Cameroon as a way of offering them grounds for objectivity in decision making when they occupy public offices.
* Facilitating job creation among graduates especially in the primary and secondary sectors in the rural areas.
* Reduce extreme poverty through out the country
* Peace building by promoting an interaction across communities and cultures

Implementation
Volunteer activity will be concentrated on the following activities schemes:

* Civil society/business administration
* Health and nutrition
* Agriculture
* Infrastructure
* Education
* Computer literacy
* Water and Sanitation
* HIV/AIDS education and Prevention

Prior to placement all volunteers will be given an intensive one week training session. The training will consist of sensitization on the following:
* Administrative procedures in Cameroon
* Cultural issues
* Fighting corruption
* Survival skills / techniques

Highlights: Civil Society/Business Management: volunteers must have university qualifications for entry to this scheme. Volunteers will be placed to work in our non profit organisation as well as in our partner organisations

Health & Nutrition: volunteers must have related qualifications for entry to this scheme. Volunteers will work in rural heath centres in Cameroon.

Agriculture: this scheme is open to high school, university and professional institutions. Volunteers will support rural communities to improve farming methods and farm yield

Infrastructure: whilst this scheme is open to all candidates, the scheme will lay more emphasis on those with technical or engineering skills or qualifications. Volunteers will help use local materials to build classroom, health centers and other social centres in the rural communities

Education: volunteers must have high school, university or professional qualifications for entry to this scheme. Volunteers will teach in primary and secondary schools in the rural areas that currently suffer from shortage of teachers

Computer Literacy: Volunteers will help improve computer literacy in rural areas in Cameroon.

Project Writing: we will welcome volunteers to occupy the positions of project writers and fundraising towards development projects of the organisation. This position is opened only to volunteers willing to stay for a minimum of 12 months.

Qualifications: We use appropriate means to advertise for volunteers locally and internationally that take into account the principles of our Equal Opportunities and Diversity Policies. The applicant will have to complete an application form, but help can be given with this if necessary. The applicant will be contacted by the (appropriate person) within 3 working days.

* LUKMEF seeks to recruit volunteers from a diverse range of backgrounds and nationalities that reflects the makeup of our programs, policies and mission
* Each potential volunteer must have a minimum of high school certificate
* The job of each volunteer is predefined before arrival. However, the organisation is very flexible in this respect deploying all the opportunities available to make work enjoyable and fulfilling.

Accommodation
The foundation has arranged and equipped a permanent Volunteers Apartment ( 2 bed rooms, a living room, a toilet, a kitchen). This cost 80.000F CFA($200)/month for single occupants and 100.000F CFA ( $250) if shared. The above amounts exclude electricity and water bills that stand at about 15,000F CFA ( $40/month).

Support
* The national office in Limbe is the main point of contact for LUKMEF Volunteers.
* Volunteers will have supervision on a one to one basis.
* Volunteers will be invited to team meetings to get together and evaluate outcomes.
* Volunteers will be offered a variety of training to meet the individual needs of the community and project they are working on.

LUKMEF staff and other volunteers offer support to new volunteers. LUKMEF key staffs support all volunteers and have regular meetings with the volunteers to discuss any problems or issues that may arise.

Insurance
Volunteers are encourage to acquire health insurance before or upon arrival.

Salary / Pay: UNPAID Position

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: The role of a volunteer The Volunteers work to provide the best of his/her knowledge and experience to different programs of the organisation and its partners in defined domains with focus toward the elimination of extreme poverty, promotion of democracy, Governance, Human Rights, Gender equality, Peace building, conflict prevention, computer literacy, international relation and collaboration etc. Volunteers and interns are expected to work in our different offices as well as move and work on our projects located in different parts of the country including rural areas.

Age Range: 18 years and above

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel to Cameroon Independently

Typically Participants Work Independently or in Groups

Application Process Involves:

• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Other

Post-Program Services Include:

• Alumni Network
• Exit Debriefing Abroad

Martin Luther King Memorial Foundation (LUKMEF)'s Mission Statement: LUKMEF's mission is to promote peace, nonviolence, social justice and sustainable development in Cameroon.

Year Founded: 1999