In a jubilant ceremony at the Women’s Empowerment and the Family Centre (WEFC) in Buea, Southwest Cameroon, Bright Light Projects (BLP) celebrated the graduation of 15 dynamic beneficiaries today, 10 young women from the Girls Shall Rise (GSR) program and 5 men from Young Men Entrepreneurship (YME). This milestone caps an intensive one-year journey of skills training in areas such as Computer Information Systems, Graphic Design, Hotel Management and Catering, Fashion Design, and Sewing, bolstered by 3-4-month internships at Buea businesses. Amid cheers and shared stories of resilience from the Anglophone crisis since 2016, graduates voiced a unifying plea: access to start-up kits, essential tools, and seed funding to ignite their entrepreneurial dreams and avoid idleness upon returning home. “We’ve gained the knowledge; now we need the launchpad to rebuild our communities,” one GSR graduate shared.
This event not only honors these students but spotlights BLP’s broader impact: Since 2018, GSR has empowered 540+ girls with a 95% rate of job or business placement within six months; YME has uplifted 112 young men since 2022, achieving 92% enterprise launches. Across programs, BLP has reached 22,000+ beneficiaries, with an average success rate of 90%, aligning with UN Women’s advocacy for gender-inclusive economies under SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 8 (Decent Work). Fresh off enrolling 20 new trainees (15 GSR, 5 YME) set to graduate in December 2026, BLP urges donors to scale these efforts by providing start-up kits to equip graduates for sustainable ventures that create jobs and foster equity.
BLP’s mission is to empower communities through partnerships for sustainable development across livelihoods, food systems, environmental stewardship, and energy access, with a vision of self-reliant leaders shaping thriving futures. Guided by our motto: Rebuilding Broken Communities.
We call on global partners in Australia (@DFAT_Aus), the US (@TonyElumeluFdn, @ADF_USA), Canada (@MastercardFdn), and Europe (@EIB, @AfDB_Group) to donate start-up kits and fund expansions. Your support turns potential into progress. You can contribute at www.brightlightprojects.org/donate.
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