Empowering Adolescents : “Plan For Girls” Project Rounds Up With Resounding Outcomes

“Plan For Girls” project has since 2018 been implemented with the funding of over 3 billion FCFA from Global Affairs Canada through the Canadian government. It was implemented by the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and the Family, MINPROFF and the international charity, Plan International Cameroon. The project, which has now come to an end, was an innovative, integrated, and gender-transformative in character, covering 60 communities in Lagdo and Ngong council areas of Benue Division in the North Region.

Project Balance Sheet
The Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and the Family, Plan International Cameroon and other stakeholders held a ceremony in Yaounde on June 19, 2025 to present project achievements and also formally close it. The event saw the participation of Plan For Girls’ National Steering Committee members and a representative of beneficiary adolescent girls and boys. 

Appreciation For Canada
“We are grateful for the financing by Global Affairs Canada, and the achievements of the project after seven years of implementation. The Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Family ensured that young girls were taken care of; as well as adolescent boys who dropped out of school. The project included the economic empowerment of adolescent girls and boys by tackling conditions that put them at high risk of gender-based violence and poverty,” said the Minister of Women’s Empowerment and the Family, Prof. Marie Therese Abena Ondoa.

Project Milestones 
“The project constructed and equipped two major empowerment centres powered with solar energy. The centres were constructed in record time and at a much reduced cost. The empowerment centres were handed over to the State, and are already operational. Adolescent girls and women are learning trades in these centres to enable them become financially autonomous. The project also trained young girls on the art of public speaking. This is important for their education and life in general. We had to handle challenges of religion, tradition and customs for the raison d’etre of the project to be understood by the people. Now, the young people are carrying out trading, thus being able to meet their basic needs,” the Minister noted. 
“The Cameroonian government is so thankful to the Canadian government for funding the project. We are also grateful to the team that implemented the project. They used the local language to pass on their messages, and also made sure they respected the customs and traditions of the people. We are therefore satisfied with what the project achieved. We hope there will be other funding openings for similar project activities,” Prof. Marie Therese Abena Ondoa said. 

Respecting Customs, Traditions
“We are very pleased with Plan For Girls project. Canada invested time and funds to achieve the results we celebrate today. I had the opportunity to visit Lagdo and Ngong in the North Region earlier this year and saw for myself that the investment Canada made has borne fruits across all of the sectors. These are health, education, the fight against gender-based violence, sexual reproductive health, as well as ensuring that the project respected the customs and traditions of the people,” Her Excellency Lorraine Anderson, the Canadian High Commissioner to Cameroon, underscored. 

Infrastructure For Sustainability 
“We now have infrastructure that can be used. Adolescent girls and boys benefitted from the project and we are confident project benefits will continue to grow. Even if Canada is not able to fund the second phase of the project, we know the results will remain and the door is open for everyone to see how they can contribute to make sure youths of Cameroon, especially in the North Region, remain strong,” she expressed hope.

Transition Committee In Place 
According to Plan International Cameroon Head of Programme, Development and Influencing, Mrs. Yenji Mairou N., as the project comes to an end, steps have been taken for the continuity of activities. “For example, infrastructure is already in place for young girls and boys and other members of the public to learn trades. Youths were trained and offered the tools to continue their activities in the absence of the project. The transition committee put in place to oversee project activities comprises mayors, traditional chiefs, adolescent girls and boys…We will continue to source for funding for other project activities,” she pointed out. 

As Beneficiaries See It
Awoulaye Priscilla Therese, a representative of project beneficiary adolescent girls and boys in Benue Division of North Region said Plan For Girls project made huge a difference in their lives. “I am now able to speak with confidence in public, can defend my rights, understand my right to education and can help in making life better in our communities,” she listed. Adding that they were trained how to sensitise against early and forced childhood marriages, and pass on the knowledge and skills acquired to youth who were not part of the project. “Though the project has come to an end, we will continue to work, sensitizing young people on different topics as we were trained,” Awoulaye pledged. 

Project Objectives
Meanwhile, Plan For Girls project sought to address the multiple inter-related barriers hindering girls’ empowerment, particularly gender inequality and poverty. It developed and implemented integrated interventions benefiting adolescents - in the areas of education, economic empowerment, sexual and reproductive health, and protection/gender. 

Other Project Achievements 
Since the launch of the project in 2018, several activities were carried out aiming to achieve behaviour change. These included awareness-raising, training, capacity-building, coaching and mentoring. Additionally, the creation of groups and clubs such as the Parents’ Club, the GBV/Protection Committee, the Youth Savings Groups, and the Champions of Change groups permitted outreach to all social strata and to work with communities for social change.
Also credited to the project are the donation of school kits...