Yaoundé, Cameroon

Since 2021, our partnership with Bright Association, a Cameroonian humanitarian organization based in Yaoundé, has enabled us to support vulnerable youth affected by regional conflicts. Our team initially conducted a workshop with internally displaced youth fleeing ongoing violence in the English-speaking regions of Cameroon’s northwest and southwest, providing foundational training in photography through classroom and practical sessions. In 2022, we collaborated to refurbish an existing structure in the Efoulan neighborhood, transforming it into a vibrant learning center equipped with computers, DSLR cameras, Wi-Fi, and internet access, allowing us to continue offering distance learning programs supported by our creative advisory board and partners like Canon. The following year, we hired our first local instructor, Daniel Beloumou, to lead weekly in-person courses, further expanding our capacity to empower young people through visual storytelling.

In 2024, our program broadened to serve youth affected by ongoing crises, including those displaced by the Anglophone conflict and refugees from regional instability. We have also supported students on their journey to gain professional skills, with some alumni receiving full scholarships to the Centre d’Éducation aux Médias et à l’Information (EDUK-MEDIA) in Yaoundé, where they are pursuing media production training. This year, we inaugurated a new classroom and gallery space, equipped with modern technology, allowing us to host more students for bi-weekly classes and showcase their work to the local community through exhibitions.

Our partnership with the Canon Young People Programme has played a pivotal role in enriching our curriculum, encouraging students to explore the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and empowering them to advocate for positive change. Through intensive filmmaking workshops led by Canon trainers as part of the Miraisha Program, students have developed their storytelling and visual communication skills, preparing them for success in a digital world. These initiatives broaden perspectives, foster critical thinking, and empower our students to become proactive agents of change, supporting their journeys to overcome adversity and contribute to the development of their communities.