About 500 young people from across Cameroon are expected in Buea for the second One Youth One Dream (OYOD) Conference, an initiative aimed at helping youths develop their potential and take a more active role in addressing challenges in their communities.
The Make Them Smile Foundation will hold the conference's main session on October 17, 2026, at the Chariot Hotel Banquet Hall. Activities begin on October 15 with an innovation pitch session and a virtual policy conference.
The gathering will focus on youth leadership, health promotion, mentorship and practical skills development. It will also provide opportunities for participants to exchange ideas with professionals and community leaders and explore ways to turn their ambitions into projects that benefit society.
At the centre of the initiative is Eliva Enanga Fule, founder of the Make Them Smile Foundation and regional coordinator of the National Network of Youth Parliamentarians for the South West Region.
Enanga Fule and her team are seeking to create a platform where young people can learn from experienced professionals, build useful connections and develop solutions to issues affecting their communities.
The organizers say the conference will place particular emphasis on community health, encouraging participants to take part in health awareness activities and develop youth-led initiatives that respond to local needs.
They also hope the discussions and workshops will help young people strengthen their leadership abilities, improve their skills and gain the confidence to contribute to community development.
Unlike a conventional conference, OYOD 2026 will combine in-person and online participation during its main program on October 17, widening access to young people who may not be able to attend physically.
The event follows the first edition held in 2024 and is expected to introduce new activities aimed at expanding youth participation and encouraging practical action beyond the conference itself.
The initiative comes amid growing concerns over unemployment and the difficulties many young people face in finding opportunities to realize their ambitions. Through dialogue, mentorship and innovation, the organizers hope to encourage participants to identify opportunities, develop their ideas and contribute to positive change.
For the Make Them Smile Foundation, the wider goal is to nurture a generation of young Cameroonians who are equipped to lead, innovate and improve the well-being of their communities.
#Laarry Times
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