Rise Up Women Program Trains 150 Young Women for Professional Empowerment
The Rise Up Women program, organized by the L'Arche d'Elijah association, has launched its third intensive 30-day training cohort for 150 young women in Cameroon. Taking place from July 1st to July 31st, 2026, at the École supérieure de management et des technologies appliquées (Esmata), the initiative aims to reveal young women's potential through comprehensive support and professional integration. This year's edition, themed "S’élever pour transformer" (Rising Up to Transform), has expanded its reach by increasing the number of participants by 50% and adding a sixth professional track. The new tracks include Human Resources and Media & Journalism, complementing existing ones in entrepreneurship and management, digital technology and communication, beauty professions, and cultural and creative industries. Participants will receive individualized mentorship, project follow-up, professional networking opportunities, internships, collaborations, and initial contracts. The program seeks to guide participants from potential to action, action to career consolidation, and career to sustainable impact. In its previous edition in July 2025, Rise Up Women trained and supported 100 young women across five tracks with the help of 60 volunteer trainers and experts. Successful outcomes from the 2025 cohort included formal employment, internships in media and communication, freelance work, and a position in Senegal related to cultural and creative industries. Additionally, the Rise Up Challenge competition funded five winning entrepreneurial projects. Gaëlle Stella Oyono, founder of Rise Up Women, emphasized that empowered women not only transform their own lives but also influence their environments and contribute to societal evolution.
The Rise Up Women program exemplifies a targeted intervention designed to address gender-based economic disparities by equipping young women with marketable skills. The program's expansion in participant numbers and training tracks suggests a responsive approach to identified needs within the Cameroonian job market, particularly in emerging sectors like digital technology and creative industries. By focusing on holistic support, including mentorship and networking, the initiative aims to foster sustainable career paths and entrepreneurial ventures, thereby contributing to broader economic development. Future iterations could explore long-term impact assessment and scalable models to maximize reach and effectiveness, potentially integrating digital platforms for wider accessibility and continuous learning beyond the intensive training period. The program's success hinges on its ability to adapt to evolving market demands and to cultivate a robust network of employers and mentors to facilitate genuine professional integration.
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