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About Youth Crime Watch of Cameroon - In development
Youth Crime Watch of Cameroon helps schools, colleges and communities in Cameroon start and sustain their crime watch programs. Services include:
- Background information about Youth Crime Watch
- YCW awareness presentations
- YCW implementation training for new sites
- Technical assistance getting new sites started
- Technical assistance once sites are up and running
News from Cameroon
May 2008: Bepanda joins YCWC family
Youth Crime Watch of Cameroon held an awareness session at the collège polyvalent de Bepanda in Douala. Students learned the YCW basics and philosophy, covered the nine components, and participated in a spirited discussion of crime and violence prevention. The training was led by Mr. Gerard Sopté and Mr. Leundjou Armand Colin. The group chose Kenfrack Francis as their leader. Mr. Lymongac shall serve as advisor. The site president received a site manual and signed his commitment in YCWC's "golden book" and the training ended with a group photo. We encourage this site to grow and develop. Good luck!
May 12, 2008: Suzanna school in Douala
YCWC held an awareness session on May 12th at the Collège polyvalent Suzanna in Douala introducing the Youth Crime Watch philosophy and approach. Trainers outlined the nine components with focus on reporting, patrols, and crime and drug prevention education. Students discussed service project ideas.
Student Kamdoum Christian accepted a manual on behalf of the students. Their site advisor will be teacher Madame Kepseu Chimène.
Students at the Suzana school pose for their first Youth Crime Watch group photo.
May 9, 2008: Awareness session at l'Enfant Africain
A Youth Crime Watch awareness session May 9th at the primary school école privé bilingue de l'enfant africain introduced YCW objectives and benefits. Students learned about crime prevention and the dangers of drugs and violence. Pupils had many interesting questions for the presenters. The pupils formed a core group with Mr. Waffo as their advisor. Tamegue Peguy accepted the manual on behalf of the group.
Tamegue Peguy accepts YCW manual on behalf of the pupils at l'Enfant Aricain.
May 8, 2008: Core group formed at l'Educateur Douala
YCWC held an awareness session on May 8th at the bilingual school l'Educateur Douala to introduce the Youth Crime Watch program, its philosophy and approach. Trainers outlined the nine components with focus on crime and drug prevention education. Students also discussed mediation and youth patrols. Questions raised included: What is criminality? How do you deal with a negative gang? Can mediation really help solve a problem?
Interest in Youth Crime Watch was high and the students formed a core group on the spot. Leundjou Armand Colin presented site leader Nonang Giresse with a manual. Teacher Charles Foffou will act as advisor to the group.
Nguelek Emmanuel leads a discussion of crime prevention and drug abuse education.
Leundjou Armand Colin presented site leader Nonang Giresse with a manual.
Following the session, YCWC trainers at college prive bilingue l'Educateur with school principal Madame Siakeu Bebiane and staff.
May 2008: Two new sites launched in April
Mr. Armand Colin Leundjou presents the new core group at Yatchika primary school with youth manuals.
The children at the Yatchika school at the outskirts of Douala welcomed representatives of Youth Crime Watch Cameroon for an educational program introducing the concept of crime prevention and explaining the philosophy and goals of Youth Crime Watch. The core group at the school was formed and teacher Madame Ndoutou Sarah was nominated as advisor for the group. The YCWC gave the new group youth manuals to help with the day-to-day tasks of running a crime watch program. Mr. Emmanuel Fai of the US Embassy Branch in Douala graciously assisted in activities througout the day.
"Is it a crime you fight with your friend?" These and other good questions were put forth by the pupils at Yatchika.
Pupils and staff at Yatchika posed for the YCWC camera.
On April 26, YCWC visited Jeunesse des amis solidaires, a youth group active in Diboum II Douala. After the presentation of Youth Crime Watch components the presenters fielded a number of good questions from the youth. "What are drugs?... How do you report a suspect who is a neighbor without having problems?" A frank discussion followed and YCWC representatives won the youth over with their clear cut answers. Youth manuals were presented to the group by Mr. Armand Colin Leundjou.
Plans for May and June
YCW Cameroon plans events at a series of schools in the coming weeks. Among them are College Prive Laic l'Educateur, Ecole Enfants Africains, College Prive Laic Suzanna, College Prive Laic du Peuple, and Menemo Bilingual College.
April 2008: YCW Cameroon meets with U.S. Embassy representatives; Introduces the "Watch Out! Help Out! philosophy
Youth Crime Watch of Cameroon held its monthly meeting on April 5, 2008, in Douala to plan work for the near future. Outside of the usual agenda, the group was pleased to welcome special guests from the U.S. Embassy at this meeting: Embassy Branch Office (Douala) Director Robert Heater, Regional Security Officer Laura Williams and others. Led by Armand Colin Leundjou, YCWC representatives acquainted embassy staff with the crime watch program and it's "Watch Out! Help Out!" philosophy. Embassy staff were, for their part, interested to know how they might aid YCWC efforts.
We can be hopeful that YCWC will join in a fruitful partnership with the U.S. Embassy in Cameroon to address issues surrounding youth and crime in country.
YCWC group with their guests from the US Embassy Cameroon
YCWC welcomed the US officials at their monthly planning meeting (Armand Leundjou speaking)
April 2008: Launching a college crime watch program
YCW Cameroon held an awareness session at the College Privé Iaïc La Manne- Douala on March 26, 2008. YCW representatives met with school administrators and a student core group to explain the "Watch Out! Help Out!" philosophy and goals of Youth Crime Watch. Students posed many insightful questions, which YCW reps were happy to address: Why should individuals take responsibility for crime prevention instead of just leaving it to the government? What would YCW do for the community outside of the schools? And more. The session provided a wonderful opportunity to discuss civic responsibility, the community serving aspects of YCW, and the dream of creating a crime-free environment. The student core group nominated an advisor, Mr. Ndo, the school's disciplinarian. Photos from the session below:
The college crime watch group poses with YCW Cameroon representatives for a group photo at the moment of launching the program.
Mr. Gerald Sopte of Youth Crime Watch Cameroon spoke on starting a crime watch in a college environment.
Mr. Gwang Raymond spoke about the startup process and the need for an advisor.
School disciplinarian Mr. Ndo with Youth Crime Watch of Cameroon at the front of the room at the session introducing the YCW program to the college students. The student core group chose Mr. Ndo as their College Crime Watch advisor.
Students posed insightful questions at the awareness session.
February 2008: YCW presentation at Groupe Scolaire Bilingue TATIE
Youth Crime Watch continues to spread the word in Cameroon schools. A recent visit to a bilingual school elicited a good deal of healthy interest from the children. The Youth Crime Watch presentation was also welcome by school administrators, who wish to see it implemented in the form of a school watch.
February 2, 2008: YCW Cameroon founding members meet
November 2007: Youth Crime Watch gets underway in Cameroon
The organization team for Youth Crime Watch in Cameroon has begun spreading the word about the program in local schools. They intend to focus their outreach efforts on children aged 8 to 14. The photos below show them visiting two schools. We wish them the best of luck.
