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2020-12-31-accounts

ANNUAL REPORT 2020

SODEI

Email: admin@sodei.org Website: www.sodei.org

Tel: 07717789464 27 Old Gloucester Street, London, WCIN 3AX

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

To Our Stakeholders _______ 5 Strategic Highlights ________ 5 Operations and Programs Highlights _______ 5 Looking Ahead ________ 6 About us _________ 7 Vision _________ 8 Mission_________ 8 Aim _____________ 8 Education _________ 8 Method __________ 8 Be the Change ________ 8 Values __________ 9 Organisational Structure ______ 10 Cross Cutting Issues ______ 11 Gender Equality________ 11 Sustainability _________ 11 Education _______ 13 Learn, Speak and Play (LESPLAY) ______ 14 STEM __________ 15 Women And Girls’ Empowerment ______ 19 Events organized for causes important to women and girls. ___ 21 Celebration of International days dedicated to women and girls. ___ 21 Advocacy (Online and local) _______ 24 Strategic partnerships beneficial to young girls ____ 25 Child sexual Abuse & Exploitation ____ 26 Finances – January to December 2020 _____ 27 Major Challenges and Lessons Learnt____ 29 Major difficulties encountered ________ 29 Key lessons learnt _____________ 29

SODEI Annual Report 2020 Highlights IDE JDEI Our mission is to inspire and engage children and young persons in Cameroon by increasing their chonces to succeed through innovative and creative methods of learning. alternative skill courses and education support. Lommemorateij L&SPLAY's l Year Anniversary Learn, Speak and Play ILESPLAYI, our creative learning program. remained the dominant octivity with fewer sessions ot our Limbe - Cameroon youth resource centre. characterised by limited outdoor community sensitizotion octivities and mostly focused on COVID-19 awareness and prevention. Launched New Programming We launched a child protection against sexual abuse program in late 2020 to improve understonding, roise collective oworeness ond to discuss how to prevent and respond to abuse. We organized 3 sessions impacting 20+ children between the ages of l 0 - 16. which focused on lyi4 e xploining sexual abuse ond exploitotion. how it monifests ond ways of seeking help. Advanced Computer Literacy through Training We mode inroods into our vision of education for oll through the advancement of STEM education. We launched our computer literacy program in June 2020.. now. more than 60 young people benefit from free computer training at our Limbe technology hub.

Young people can tap into their unique potentials and make a difference for themselves and communities when given the chance. SODEI 2020 Impact 'SODEI computer training has helped in that: I can now put on a computer, change backgrounds and settlngs on a computer. Because of what I have learnt l aspire to become a computer englneer and will put every effort to study hard as l am going back to school.. Brably, 15 years old 60+ 20 50+ 20 children porticipaled In the 2020 Computer Holidoy Courses, August-september. where they leorned obout Mavis Beacon. Microsoft Word. Excèl ond Power Point. More than 60 students received free computer training at the tech-hub based in Limbe More than 50 children benefited from the pilot LESPLAY project. The pilot hosted 30+ LESPLAY workshops at our center, and pald 8 vlsits to schools and oher oganizations to deliver LESPLAY. At the end of the pilot. young participants. perceptions about their potentials had changed, and their desire to learn new useful skills ond be engaged in youth and community development activities increased. SODEI I nspiring Children and Youth www.sodei.org

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TO OUR STAKEHOLDERS

Strategic Highlights

SODEI celebrated its second anniversary on November 20, 2020. Since its establishment, SODEI has focused on inspiring and engaging children and young people in Cameroon. Our organisation places emphasis on working with girls and young women from disadvantaged backgrounds, especially those who are disproportionately affected by the crisis in the two Anglophone regions of Cameroon. As the year 2021 sets in and we reflect on our endeavours in 2020, we appreciate the resilience and hope that brought us through. Amidst the multiple conflicts affecting Cameroon, exacerbated by the COVID-19 global pandemic, hope and resilience kept us moving. The plight of the children caught in conflict continues to spur us to action. As challenging as it has been, we continued moving SODEI forward, focusing on enhancing our capabilities, building strategic partnerships, and putting our services at the disposal of children whose lives have been disrupted by multiple crises. As we could not take full advantage of our human resources capacity on program activities, we diverted attention on strengthening our governance systems, capacity building and conducting research to properly ascertain the needs of our target populations.

We completed our first major research project to determine the framework of our programmatic intervention in our core thematic areas of work which include education, skills development, youth participation and child protection from physical and sexual abuse. Our findings established significant gaps, highlighted marginalization of youth voices and clarified the extent of the education crisis in the Anglophone regions. This has helped in shaping our strategy for the next five years. It is on this basis that we believe we will emerge strongly and more determined, to pursue our vision for children and young people in Cameroon.

Operations and Programs Highlights

Like most non-profit and other for-profit institutions, our operations were affected by the COVID19 pandemic. Learn, Speak and Play (LESPLAY), our creative learning program, remained the dominant activity with fewer sessions at our Limbe – Cameroon youth resource centre, characterised by limited outdoor community sensitization activities and mostly focused on COVID-19 awareness and prevention. Fortunately, our virtual work systems put in place before the outbreak of COVID-19 prepared us for the new normal of home-based work. Our remote

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teams collaborated effectively through our online-based platforms to ensure we delivered on the basic minimum of our 2020 programs and operational priorities.

We commemorated the one-year anniversary of LESPLAY. The LESPLAY pilot project justified our principled position about young people having the ability to tap into their unique potentials and making a difference for themselves and communities when given the chance. The pilot project also highlighted the importance of alternative and creative ways of acquiring and using knowledge, and the significance of after-school learning support for young people in general, specifically for those facing challenging circumstances. According to participants’ testimonies, LESPLAY provided a useful opportunity for them to continue learning, follow up effectively with schoolwork during school disruptions, and learn new and useful economic skills.

We made inroads into our vision of education for all through the advancement of STEM education. We launched our computer literacy program in June 2020; now, more than 60 young people benefit from free computer training at our Limbe technology hub.

Financial Highlights

Lack of funding limited our ability to explore the full potential of our projects, hence a limited impact. Our activities have been predominantly funded by our founding members, personal donations and a few income generating activities run by SODEI.

Looking Ahead

We strongly believe in planning for the future to ensure that we continue to address the needs of our community while operating in a fiscally responsible manner.

The year 2020 has been a difficult one with the effects of COVID-19 adding more stress to a community already devastated by a protracted conflict. We believe our projects provide a unique opportunity for children affected by multiple crises and for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. With your assistance, we will continue to support them and provide them with the tools necessary to discover and develop their unique talents and potentials. We believe the SODEI of tomorrow will be bolder and more courageous. Together, as part of the community, we will advance outcomes that matter to Cameroonians and the world.

Gilbert Ajebe Akame, Executive Director

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ABOUT US

Solidarity and Development Initiative (SODEI) is a registered Non-Profit Organization (NPO) founded in November 2018 in the wake of the conflict in the English-speaking regions of Cameroon, and the devasting impact on the welfare and education of children and young persons within the region. SODEI is registered as a charity in the UK and has registered sections in Cameroon and Norway. Most of our operations are currently run in the Southwest Region of Cameroon, with the intention of expanding to other regions progressively.

SODEI was founded by Cameroonians of good will, concerned about the repercussions of the growing socio-political and security crises in the country on access to education for young persons. Boko Haram has constantly attacked the border towns in Cameroon from neighboring Nigeria and even imposed a ban on education; the Eastern region was also suffering a spillover effect of the conflict in the Central African Republic (CAR); and the ongoing crisis in the two English-speaking regions of the country which has not only affected access but the quality of education.

We believe that Education has a vital role to play in the creation and sustenance of a culture of peace and resilience in every society. In the wake of the regional and local conflicts affecting the right to education in Cameroon, it was imperative for strategies and initiatives to be elaborated and adopted to come to the aid of young Cameroonians whose access to a quality education has been affected. It is on this basis that SODEI saw the need to create a platform to engage youths in self-development, the expression of their thoughts and visions/dreams for their lives and participate in decisions affecting them, while providing education support to others.

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Vision

A society where children and young people have equal access to education and opportunities, where they can confidently participate as agents of change and development while making positive contributions to decision-making in their homes, communities, and nation.

Mission

Our mission is to inspire and engage children and young persons in Cameroon by increasing their chances to succeed through innovative and creative methods of learning, alternative skill courses and education support.

Aim

Method

To inspire young people to develop a sense of purpose, empathy and social competence which will help them to achieve higher academic performance and actively contribute to the well-being of their greater community.

SODEI advances new and innovative methods of acquiring and using information to boost creativity, potential and purpose in young people in Cameroon.

Be the Change

Education

We believe that Education has a vital role to play in the creation and sustenance of a culture of peace and resilience in every society.

Our ‘Be the Change’ Movement SODEI is youth inspired, youth driven, and youth led.

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Values

Honesty

Good Governance

Partnership Involvement

We are committed to putting children and young people’s rights and well-being at the core of all our work. We are people-driven – our associates inform us, help us define our priorities, and enable us to achieve our goals. We are a partnership organization - we seek external alliances to enhance our impact on the lives of children and young people. We are a learning organization - we continually monitor and appraise what we do and strive for excellence in all our work. We are an inclusive organization – we include the voices of young people into the decision-making processes of our organization. We are committed to non-discrimination on

any grounds be it age, race, gender, ethnicity, or sexual orientation.

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ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE

SODEI is governed by a Board of Trustees (BoT) headed by a President. Our BoT is responsible for ensuring an effective, transparent, and accountable management of the organisation. They make key decisions and ensure effective implementation by management. Active board members also take up managerial positions to assist in the day-to-day management. By design, our trustees are an integral part of the organization’s life and its future development.

The Board meets regularly to provide strategic orientation to the management team and evaluate outputs. Our BoT strongly upholds non-discrimination in all its forms. We are a truly diverse team of women and men from all walks of life and backgrounds. We reserve spaces on our BoT for young persons, especially women. SODEI is run daily by a volunteer management team made up of an Executive Director, a Programs Director, a Research and Development Director, a Communications Director, and a Finance and Operations Manager. Our Programs team is supported by an energic team of coordinators who organize activities and implement projects. We also have communications volunteers who ensure our actions receive sufficient visibility.

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CROSS CUTTING ISSUES

Gender Equality

SODEI is determined to uphold gender equality in its work, with its staff, volunteers, beneficiaries, and programs. As an organization built on solidarity and development, we are conscious of the various inequalities and discriminations which exist in our society especially towards women and girls. In this regard SODEI designs its programs and projects to benefit everyone equally.

In January 2019, SODEI launched its pioneer SDG4Schools Campaign in four schools around Fako Division in the Southwest Region of Cameroon. More than 500 students were involved in the events in all four schools. The events involved among other things, interactive discussions on SDGs 4 on Quality Education and 5 on Gender Equality.

LESPLAY sessions are themed with issues concerning individual genders, all genders or society in general. They are not aimed at prioritizing one gender or raising sympathy for one gender but aimed at treating in a wholesome and gender sensitive manner all issues that plague our society.

Inclusion

Our project is set in the context of crisis that has produced several thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and worsened the economic conditions of millions more. This situation has been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 health crisis. Some aspects of our work including economic and technical skills training, protection from abuse, psychosocial support prioritise young, marginalised youths especially young women and IDPs who have fled from violence from rural villages in the Northwest and Southwest and taken refuge in the safer urban towns.

Sustainability

Our initiative has been running for a period of two years based on contributions from our founding members and small income generating activities operated by SODEI. We operate a social enterprise model. We currently run a mobile money business and offer documentation services. We are also committed to work in partnership, believing that our objectives are better

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achieved through cooperation. We are building alliances and partnerships with other entities that share our values, to further enhance the impact of our work.

IDPs

The crisis in the English-speaking regions of Cameroon has caused untold hardship especially for children who are often the most vulnerable victims of conflict. Children have moved to neighboring towns and cities for safety with their families. Often without proper family care and sometimes left abandoned, they find themselves at risk of hunger and abuse. Since December 2018, SODEI has reached out to internally displaced children who have found refuge in safer cities in like Douala and Limbe. SODEI made donations of food items, clothing, and toys to spread some cheer. Even now at the center, priority is always given to children from IDP families to participate in SODEI programs.

COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused major disruptions around the world and impacted our work as a young organisation. We thought it necessary to join the world in the fight to stop the spread of the disease. We have been involved in sensitisation campaigns and creating awareness on the spread of the disease and measures of prevention. SODEI carried out a sensitisation campaign on the 23rd of April 2020 on measures to fight against COVID-19 virus and the importance of using face masks in the CDC Limbe Camp. SODEI volunteers visited 20 houses educating them on the virus and measures prescribed by the government. This is particularly important in a society where hearsay is more popular than truth. This campaign revealed that many members of the community were aware of the virus and its effects, but some could not obtain face masks because of financial difficulties, revealing a dire need for assistance in this community and many others to secure persons from this virus.

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EDUCATION

“Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere” —Chinese Proverb

We believe in the power of education to unlock the potential of the younger generation and for driving peace and sustainable development in local communities. Education and development are intrinsically linked: schools and formal educational settings are pivotal in helping individuals achieve their own economic and social and cultural objectives and helping society to be better protected, better served by its leaders and more equitable in important ways. Continued denial of education not only harms the individual child in the short term as they grow and mature but also damages their community’s long-term developmental goals.

We believe in fostering the goals of ‘Education for All’ aimed at meeting the learning needs of children, youths, and adults. Education is critical for securing brighter futures for children whose lives have been disrupted by conflict or disaster.

Our educational programs such as LESPLAY have helped to provide learning alternatives and support during a difficult period of conflict and a global health crisis. We launched a STEM program in the last quarter of 2020 in our goal to advance critical thinking, promote science literacy, and enable the next generation of innovators.

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Learn, Speak and Play (LESPLAY)

“Children and young people express themselves through creative arts and play” Learn, Speak and Play (LESPLAY), is a SODEI concept and a project involving young people in Limbe, in the southwest region of Cameroon. LESPLAY provides an alternative for children experiencing disruptions in normal functioning of schools by engaging them in creative informal learning, participatory action, a space for peer interaction and play. LESPLAY employs creative techniques including drawing, sketching, painting, and photography; and group techniques such as role play and participatory action.

LESPLAY was piloted for one year in 2020 through a host of activities including creative arts workshops at our Limbe youth center, craftwork sessions with CAMHELP, LESPLAY caravan and outdoor activities in 5 locations within Fako Division in the Southwest region.

The pilot justified SODEI’s principled position about young people as having the ability to tap into their unique potentials and make a difference for themselves and communities when given the chance. The pilot also highlighted the importance of alternative and creative ways of acquiring and using knowledge, and the significance of after-school learning support for young people in general, and specifically for those facing challenging circumstances. According to participants’ testimonies, LESPLAY provided a useful opportunity for them to continue learning, follow up effectively with schoolwork during school disruptions, and learn new and useful economic skills. Participants took part in a series of workshops where they acquired new creative skills in arts and craft, learned about rights and important thematic issues such as the

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environment, gender equality, gender-based violence, etc. Over 50 children benefited directly and 500 more indirectly, from the pilot project in 2020.

In total the pilot hosted 30+ LESPLAY workshops at our center, paid 8 visits to schools, other CSOs and the local community to deliver LESPLAY. One of the biggest achievements of the pilot was the observation of a change in the young participants’ perceptions about their potentials, and their desire to learn new useful skills and be engaged in youth and community development activities. Another important achievement was the empowerment of young people by providing a platform where their voices, ideas and understandings of events and surroundings are fully taken into consideration.

STEM

We aspire to be the leading advocate in advancing rights and opportunities for young Cameroonians by employing a unique model to empower young people from low-income communities to discover their strengths and thrive. SODEI advocates and advances the rights of young women and girls who are especially vulnerable to gendered cultural norms which may restrict their access to education and economic opportunity. When girls and women are denied the right to education, it is children, households, communities, and economies that suffer. We are inspired by: SDG 4 — the education goal and targets:

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Goal 4: ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all:

“We want to significantly contribute to achieving SDG target 4.4: by 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship”

Computer Literacy

At SODEI, we are persistent when it concerns improving access to education for children and young people in the South West Region of Cameroon. We utilize the few resources at our disposal to address the situation of the most disadvantaged groups within our community. In March 2019, SODEI started the process of setting up and equipping its first community library with 10 computers, workspace, bookshelves and unlimited internet access for users. This facility is open to the public with special consideration given to children and youths from lessprivileged backgrounds.

In January of 2020, the SODEI Center benefited from additional office equipment and new computers to be put at the disposal of the beneficiaries of SODEI programs. With the spread of

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the COVID-19, there is a rise of interest in e-learning. SODEI is currently organizing free weekly computer classes in order to enable young people to successfully accomplish e-learning studies.

The 2020 Computer Holiday Classes ran from August to September 2020 for children and young persons aged from 10-20 years, at the center in Bota middle farms, Limbe. At the onset of the program, 9 children registered, but by the end of the month 20 children were actively involved in the classes. The course content included: mavis beacon for beginners; Microsoft word, PowerPoint, and Excel. Participants ranged from those who had never used a computer to those who have fair knowledge of the use of a computer.

Positive testimonies recounted at the end of the classes signified a real change in the participants, who had gained newly acquired knowledge in the use of computers. Every young person had the opportunity to use a computer to accomplish a variety of tasks, including typing a word document, setting time and date, changing backgrounds and screensavers, and designing business cards. These tasks might seem trivial to those familiar with computers but had never been completed by some participants. Some even expressed interest in continuing

the classes.

SQDEIV O ATTESTATION Of Completlon ryKA tralnlng at SODEI Te(h AL 01.08.20. 30.09.10

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WOMEN AND GIRLS’ EMPOWERMENT

The women and girls’ empowerment program of SODEI is designed to encourage young women and girls in Cameroon through knowledge sharing, counselling, coaching and leadership training. It is a program which aims to identify and create solutions for the areas of need for women and girls in our society. Inspired by our need to encourage active involvement and participation in community building and to promote the SDGs, the women and girls’ program of SODEI distinguishes itself through its methods. In addition to the women and girls' empowerment program, SODEI employs a gender inclusive and sensitive approach to its activities.

Gender inclusive and gender sensitive approaches to programs

SODEI endeavors to integrate gender and related issues into its programs and projects. We encourage and believe in gender inclusiveness, equal participation, and ensure equal benefits for all our beneficiaries. For example, LESPLAY is open to children of all ages and genders and fosters the education of all participants on various subjects in weekly sessions. The coordinators undertake to have discussions with the children on sensitive gender issues and explain to their understanding the role that gender plays in determining the treatment that people experience at different levels in the society. The coordinators inspire the young participants to be more aware and sensitive to different gender prejudices and stereotypes

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predominant in our society, in their day to day lives. As is the custom with these sessions, at the end the participants are required to express in some form of artwork their understanding of

the discussion previously had.

On the 28[th] of November 2020, a LESPLAY session was dedicated to the 16 days Activism against GBV. The year’s theme of "Orange the World: Fund, Respond, Prevent, Collect!" was actively discussed with the participants. In this session, the participants discussed the meaning of Activism, Gender Based Violence (GBV), and its types. Using cases from the community, this session included an interactive discussion on why girls and women are predominantly victims of GBV as compared to men. Children of various ages and sexes took part in these discussions.

Children were asked about their perceptions of GBV, in order to assess their understanding of the concept. The answers varied from husbands beating their wives and young girls being sexually abused by adults in the community. This is a crucial step in educating them on the dangers of the phenomenon of GBV. Though their young minds could only understand physical violence as GBV, the session was aimed at sharing with these young participants psychological and socio-economic violence of GBV.

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Their newly gained understanding of activism and the custom of expression encouraged by the LESPLAY concept, led these young participants at the end of the session to draft messages against GBV. Some made drawings which were used by SODEI in their online advocacy over the 16 days of activism against GBV.

Events organized for causes important to women and girls.

Celebration of International days dedicated to women and girls.

Since its inception, SODEI has sought to commemorate international days which celebrate women and girls, or seek to uphold their rights, through program activities or online advocacy. These days include the international women’s day, international menstrual hygiene day, the day of the girl child and the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence.

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Women’s day celebrations

The highlight for the month of March 2020 was the women’s day celebrations. SODEI organized an interactive session at its center in Limbe which took place on the 7th of March 2020 to commemorate the International Women’s Day celebrated on the 8th of March annually. The theme this year, “I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women Rights”, was particularly instrumental to SODEI which envisages improved projects on women empowerment during the year. This event thus served as the unofficial launch of the year’s activities for the SODEI’s programs for women and girls.

The event was facilitated by SODEI’s program manager, with presentations from a few volunteers. The turnout was quite impressive with the surprising attendance of one young man who participated fully in the day’s events. This was remarkable and timely as participants would learn during the session the importance of involving men in the quest for sustainable solutions

for violations against women’s rights. Participants also discussed issues of stereotypes and societal norms largely influenced by ignorance, which foster gender-based violence and discrimination against women and girls. A database of the participants was created at their request, which facilitated follow up and subsequent information on future women empowerment programs and trainings offered by SODEI.

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International Menstrual Hygiene Day

Since 2019, SODEI has consistently been involved in activities aimed at highlighting the importance of observing proper hygiene during menstruation for women and girls. In 2019, the celebration of the International Menstrual Hygiene Day was conducted within the framework of an outreach project at a CDC camp in Limbe, geared towards empowering young women and girls in impoverished communities. This event helped to promote menstrual hygiene awareness through education and knowledge sharing on menstrual hygiene, and local production and preservation of reusable sanitary pads.

The theme of 2020’s Menstrual Hygiene Day was “Time for Action”. SODEI honored this day with online advocacy on its social media platforms, connecting the theme with the United Nations sustainable development goals 1,2,3,4 and 6. SODEI thus took the initiative to organize a short capacity building session for some of its volunteers (male and female) at the center. The aim of this was to make them understand the need for them to become agents of change in their communities by breaking the taboos and ending inequality experienced by many women and girls during their periods.

SODEI advocacy efforts on days dedicated to celebrating women or advocating for human rights, almost certainly run with corresponding sessions in LESPLAY. This was also the case with the Menstrual hygiene day activities. One participant of LESPLAY testified that:

“My best topic/lesson taught during the LESPLAY session so far is Menstrual Hygiene, I chose the above lesson because it mainly focuses on us (women and girls) and it brings out different ways on taking care of ourselves during periods. Such topics are hardly discussed at home or school and was happy when it was taught”.

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Advocacy (Online and local)

Like many other organisations in 2020, SODEI has increasingly made use of its online platforms, especially social media, for its campaigns and advocacy. Projects and activities taken upon by SODEI are announced on social media and locally through radio station announcements and flyers. SODEI’s increased presence online has resulted in its interests gaining traction and support. It is also the means through which SODEI joins its voice to other organization to support ongoing causes.

We issued statements on the school attacks in the Northwest and Southwest regions, made a joint submission on the rights of the child in response to the UNHCHR call for civil society views on children’s rights and the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development, joined panel discussions on the Anglophone crisis and the situation of children and IDPs in Cameroon.

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Strategic partnerships beneficial to young girls

Partnership with a female based organization working on Information Technology In July of 2020, SODEI and ICOTEL-UB concluded a partnership reflecting their common core objectives to encourage young people to engage in STEM/Tech, to empower the girl child towards self-realization and actualization, and to provide moral, material and educational support to young person’s willing to excel in STEM. This partnership has proven to be of enormous potential, as a point to encourage young women and girls to venture into a career path traditionally dominated by men and to provide a broad knowledge platform for SODEI beneficiaries to exploit. In partnership with ICOTEL-UB, SODEI will further develop and execute its STEM project.

Partnership with Funzi

Funzi is a company engaged in the development and provision of mobile learning services, which include career, communication, and life skills important for everyone. The Funzi platform also contains gender specific learning courses, a resource which SODEI has striven to put at the disposal of its beneficiaries at its center which boasts of working computers and an internet connection for those who do not have devices of their own.

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CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE & EXPLOITATION

SODEI recognises that violence against children and young people is prevalent throughout the world and in all societies. Violence against children includes physical or mental violence, injury and abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment, and sexual abuse. Furthermore, children and young people may be vulnerable and at risk due to, for example, reasons of gender, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, disability and age or illness.

Our safeguarding policy provides guidance and overarching principles to protect children and young people who receive any support or service from us or with whom we are in contact, including those who are the children of adults who may receive services from us. As an organisation we believe that no child or young person should experience abuse or harm and are committed to the protection of children and young people.

We launched a child protection against sexual abuse program in late 2020 to improve understanding, raise collective awareness and to discuss how to prevent and respond to abuse. To launch this project, we carried out a focus group discussion (FGD) with some parents and children to discuss the risks and needs for child protection against physical and sexual abuse. We organized 3 sessions impacting 20+ children between the ages of 10 – 16. These introductory sessions focused on explaining what sexual abuse and exploitation it is about, how it manifests and ways of seeking help.

FINANCES- JANUARY TO DECEMBER 2020 SODEI'S INCOME FROM JANUARY TO DECEMBER FOR THE YEAR 2020 Individual Donations MTN Mobile money { Sodei's Social Enterprise Initiative) I Computer Training (Paid for adults) $263.93 $183 $433.3 $1.366 $4,262.2 Sales of Memorabilla $1,416.50 $157.64 Documentation Services Events and Fundraising Membership Fees

SODEI'S EXPENSES FROM JANUARY TO DECEMBER FOR THE YEAR 2020 LESPLAY Campaigns Overhead Stipends & Support $278.17 $264.09 $2 $31.13 49.54 3.10 Prlntlng( Ink, papers) $430.56 $269.65 $344.96 Utillty bllls $318.59 Equipments and Software $1.829. $647.62 Rents Internet and Telephone b1115 $264.80 ll Payment to Teacher $182.18 $1,446.49 $1,186.30 Transportatlon Maintenace & Repairs Others Debt Lawyer fee & Tax card Bank Deposit Gifts

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MAJOR CHALLENGES AND LESSONS LEARNT

Major difficulties encountered

SODEI experienced operational and financial challenges resulting from lack of funding, the COVID-19 pandemic and other crises affecting Cameroon.

Key lessons learnt

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and at homes. This justified our programming and intervention related to advancing equitable digital access.