The eighth edition of the Cameroon Red Cross’ Vacances Secours – Vacances Loisirs program ended in Yaounde on August 27, after two months of activities designed to equip 250 young people with practical skills, humanitarian values and a stronger sense of civic responsibility.
The school holidays may be over, but for 250 young Cameroonians, some of what they learned during the break is meant to last well beyond the return to school. Through the eighth edition of Vacances Secours – Vacances Loisirs, the Cameroon Red Cross turned part of the 2026 holiday period into an opportunity to learn first aid, humanitarian principles, citizenship and community responsibility.
Organized in two sessions from June 8 to August 21, the program combined recreational and sporting activities with training and educational sessions. Its closing ceremony was held on August 27 at the Cameroon Red Cross headquarters in Yaoundé, bringing together participants, parents, trainers, volunteers and partners.
From holiday activities to life skills
The program went beyond keeping young people occupied during the school break. Participants were introduced to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and its Fundamental Principles, while receiving practical training in first aid and first psychological aid.
Sessions also addressed citizenship, the prevention and response to gender-based violence, climate change and other issues affecting young people and their communities. Educational talks, role plays, family activities, sports and other interactive approaches were used to make the lessons more accessible.
For Cameroon Red Cross President Cécile Akame Mfoumou, the objective was not simply to transmit theoretical knowledge, but to develop young people’s ability to act when confronted with emergencies and to encourage them to contribute positively to their communities. The organization sees young people as potential vectors of positive behavior within their families, schools and neighborhoods.
When lessons become practical
The closing ceremony provided an opportunity for participants to demonstrate some of what they had learned. First-aid exercises and sketches were presented before the young people received certificates recognizing the completion of their training. The ceremony also included recreational performances, reflecting the program’s attempt to combine learning with leisure.
The message from the organizers was therefore less about the end of an activity than about what comes next. Addressing the young participants, the Cameroon Red Cross president urged them to remember the first-aid techniques when faced with an emergency and to consider volunteering as a commitment to helping others.
Preparing young people for more resilient communities
The initiative also places youth engagement within a broader humanitarian perspective. According to the Cameroon Red Cross, equipping children and young people with practical skills and humanitarian values can help strengthen their capacity to respond to everyday emergencies and contribute to more resilient and supportive communities.
The program was supported by partners including the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Ministry of Youth and Civic Education. The closing ceremony was attended by representatives of the Movement, including Yann Bonzon, head of the ICRC regional delegation for Central Africa.
As the new school year approaches, the participants are also returning with school kits distributed at the closing ceremony. For the Cameroon Red Cross, however, the most important takeaways may be less tangible: the ability to respond, the willingness to help and the values of solidarity acquired during the holidays.
