ILO Strengthens the Capacities of Support Officers under the PBF PRONEC Project: A High-Level Training Workshop on the GERME Tool Held in Douala

To better support the 102 young beneficiaries of the PBF PRONEC Project, the International Labour Organization (ILO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Civic Education (MINJEC) and under the technical coordination of the PIFMASS Programme, organized a capacity-building workshop from September 29 to October 3, 2025, at Hotel Manou, Bonamoussadi, Douala – Cameroon.

A Strategic Initiative for Youth Empowerment

The five-day training workshop was chaired by Dr. KUN, who served as the Personal Representative of the Minister of Youth Affairs and Civic Education. This activity falls within the framework of the ILO–MINJEC partnership to ensure the effective follow-up, coaching, and technical support of youth project holders under the PRONEC initiative.
The aim was to equip support officers with the necessary tools to guide young entrepreneurs in transforming their ideas into viable, sustainable businesses capable of generating decent employment and community impact.

The GERME Tool at the Heart of the Training

The workshop focused on the GERME (Gérez Mieux Votre Entreprise / Start and Improve Your Business) tool, an ILO-developed methodology that helps entrepreneurs enhance the management and sustainability of their enterprises.
Participants were trained on business planning, cost analysis, marketing strategy, financial management, and customer relations, with an emphasis on practical application through group exercises, simulations, and peer learning.

Strong Institutional Representation

The workshop brought together representatives from multiple institutions, including:

• Dr. KUN, Personal Representative of the Minister of Youth Affairs and Civic Education, who chaired the opening and closing sessions;

• Mr. NGONGANG Clément, Coordinator of the PIFMASS Programme, responsible for the workshop’s technical coordination;

• Mr. NDAM Olivier and Mr. ZUCHUON Rodrigue, representing the International Labour Organization (ILO);

• Heads of the 40 Multifunctional Youth Promotion Centres (CMPJ) from the project’s target municipalities;

• Technical staff from the PIFMASS Programme;

• And representatives of the Cameroon National Youth Council (CNYC), led by Mr. MESSAMBE Cédric, Secretary General of the CNYC, who facilitated a session on “Cost Estimation for a Producer or Service Provider Managing Multiple Products or Services.”

Engaged Learning and General Satisfaction

Throughout the sessions, participants actively shared field experiences and proposed innovative mentoring approaches for supporting young entrepreneurs. The workshop concluded with a general note of satisfaction, as participants praised both the quality of facilitation and the relevance of the GERME methodology to their daily fieldwork.

Next Steps: Toward the Effective Transfer of Start-up Funds

At the end of the training, participants reaffirmed their commitment to swiftly consolidate youth project files to enable the timely transfer of start-up funds to the 102 beneficiaries. This step represents a key milestone toward realizing the PBF PRONEC Project’s objective — promoting youth entrepreneurship, decent job creation, and inclusive local economic development across Cameroon.