Five Cameroonian youth leaders recently participated in the 2025 edition of the World Youth Development Forum in China, thanks to the mentorship of the local NGO Royal Boys and Girls of Africa (ROBOGA). The World Youth Development Forum is a vital platform where young people from around the world who can contribute to global development gather to promote youth development.
Announced by President Xi Jinping of China at the High-Level Dialogue on Global Development in 2022, it is an important measure to harness youth strength in implementing the Global Development Index (GDI).
Participating in the first edition of the World Youth Development Forum in November 2023, the National Coordinator of ROBOGA Organisation, Nkemcha Martin Tiku, saw great opportunities in the forum as his youth training and mentorship initiative was selected as one of the 100 Excellent Actions for Global Youth Development (APGYD) 2023.
As the only Cameroonian among 100 youth from over 60 countries globally, he pledged to increase the number of Cameroonian participants in the next edition. With the second edition launched in August 2024, through the ROBOGA BKA CHALLENGE initiative, he mobilised 10 alumni with remarkable projects, guiding, orienting, and mentoring them on the application process. Thanks to this, four Cameroonian youth leaders, alumni of ROBOGA BKA CHALLENGE, working in different areas of youth initiatives, were selected with their projects among the 100 Excellent Actions for Global Youth Development (APGYD) 2025: Akikeze Anangmbi – A Million Pens for Peace Campaign; Senke Yannick Tresor – Commitment and Youth Impact in Saving Lives through Voluntary Blood Donation; Nembo Ekong – Education for Displaced Girls in Rural Communities; Mache Dolores – Planet One – MBOA HUB; Nkemcha Martin Tiku – National Coordinator of ROBOGA Organisation.
By selecting and promoting excellent actions that contribute to global and youth development, the APGYD actively encourages international youth initiatives and empowers youth development to harness the strength of young people in building a community with a shared future for mankind.
The 2025 World Youth Development Forum, held from 14-19 July alongside the Acceleration Week for Global Youth Development Programmes, featured 200 youth projects worldwide in the field of sustainable development:
– Poverty alleviation and food security
– Future-oriented digital technology
– Climate action
– Protecting life below water
– Green development
– Inclusive and equitable quality education
– Youth leadership development
– Youth health and well-being
– Youth employment and entrepreneurship
– Partnership for the Goals
This programme is hosted by the All China Youth Federation with support from ILO, FAO, UNESCO, UNICEF, UNDP, UNFPA, UNCCD, UN in China, ASEF, and partners around the world.
