SUSTAIN Cameroon is a not-for-profit, non-governmental, non-religious and an apolitical organization with registration No. 64/E.29/1111/vol.8/APPB under the non profit law of Cameroon. It was created in 2005 and legally recognized in 2011 as an association and its mandate dedicated to improving the welfare of; and promoting and protecting the rights of; children, youths, women and other vulnerable groups in the society.

Beginning with volunteering initiatives with other non-profit organizations since 2005, members of SUSTAIN were encouraged to create an association that would provide alternatives to improving livelihoods and eradicating vulnerabilities amongst disadvantaged youths, children and women; in the most hard-to-reach communities through direct assistance, amplifying their voices through advocacy efforts and strengthening their capacities to deal with obstacles to their growth in Cameroon. We also believed that women’s inability to be represented at the traditional governance structures could not prepare adequate opportunities for them to be elected into decision making structures at the higher levels. Thus, we were convinced focusing on providing them with access to micro-credits, income generating and advocating for their fair representation at the traditional councils will be quasi-perfect stepping stones to women adequately involved in decision making and contributing to governance. Meanwhile, SUSTAIN Cameroon also had the vision of reducing the out-of-school children (OOSC) by providing them with access to education, including school supplies; while also providing drop out youths with opportunities for technical and vocational education training (TVET) and skills building to escape from child early/forced marriages (CEFM), sexual exploitation of children (SEC), sex/labor trafficking, modern slavery etc.

SUSTAIN Cameroon strives to initiate intervention programs that assist and inspire disadvantaged youths, children and women to achieve self-sufficiency. our organization attempts to provide psychosocial assistance and support victims of violence into the mainstream society focusing on orphans and vulnerable children, out-of-school children, providing them with opportunities to be enrolled into primary, secondary and tertiary education. In same vein, we work with the most disadvantaged communities to end poverty through providing micro-credits to women, vocational skills training opportunities for drop out youths, initiating income generation activities, and increasing access to health care.

Poor health and living conditions of rural poor is a preoccupation for our organization. Thus, we carryout disseminations on sexual and reproductive health and rights, menstrual health and management for adolescent girls to enable them pursue their schooling regularly and that they do not miss a day in school because of their periods., gender equity, train on nutrition, hygiene and sanitation to improve on health and nutrition of our beneficiaries and other community persons through encouraging a fair practice of balance diets using local foods produced by rural farmers.

We also seek to lead advocacy for gender equality and women’s representation and participation in decision making at the traditional grassroots structures and particularly as a stepping stone for their subsequent representation into any other structures. This we hope will go a long way to ensure a fair and adequate representation of women and to redress the socio- cultural, economic, political problems they face. In similar way, we lead advocacy against child sexual abuse and educate and train children and their guardians on child protection and child rights.

With an increasing need to scale its impact and to broaden its scope at the grassroots, SUSTAIN Cameroon works in partnership with community based organizations (CBOS), faith based organisations (FBOs), the media, local councils (LCs), Traditional Authorities (TAs), religious leaders, Village cultural and development associations (VCDAs) and other civil society organisations (CSOs) with the aim of enhancing its contribution to the improvement of the welfare of children, disadvantaged women and other vulnerable persons in the community to participate in the development in society.

Till date, our organization offers access to income generation initiatives to child brides, at-risk adolescent girls, widows, single mothers, women with fertility problems and orphans & vulnerable children, poor households and families and helps them to secure a sustainable access to livelihoods, food, housing, education, health, and to escape from extreme poverty, and harmful practices and cultures including though not limited to child, early and forced marriages, sexual exploitation of children, sex/labor trafficking, modern slavery and gender based violence.

Over the last decade, we have continued to refine and to grow our theory of change and strategy to become and be recognized as a leading national organization in the fight against child early and forced marriages, sexual exploitation of children, and gender based violence.