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Equitable access to inclusive education, health, rehabilitation, livelihood and social inclusion, empowerment and safeguarding are expected to be a normalcy for children and youths with disabilities (CYWDs) by 2030. Steering Committee members of the Building Effective Networks (BEN) upheld this commitment when they met in the CBC Mvan Resource Center in Yaounde on April 28, 2026. Welcoming the 20 participants (19 physically present and one online participant), the Director of Health Services (DHS), Mr. Samuel Ngum disclosed the purpose of the meeting, which was that children and young people with disabilities in Cameroon remain excluded from quality education and economic opportunities. “This reality must change and it must start with us,” the DHS charged the Steering Committee members coming from ten partner organizations that constitute the BEN initiative. According to Mr. Samuel Ngum, BEN Cameroon is a deliberate shift from isolated intervention to an effective coordinated network that delivers measurable results. He invited the partner organizations to make commitment by moving beyond representation to sustaining active participation in planning and implementation, and strengthening coordination across partners and sectors. The DHS intimated that the BEN initiative should reduce duplication, close service gaps and collect and share data to complement than competing with one another.

About the BEN Initiative

EDID Program Manager, Mrs. Agho Glory continued in the same direction in her presentation. She revealed that the BEN initiative is a new strategic form of approach of Liliane Fonds and partners led by the CBC Health Services and coordinated from the EDID office with Liliane funds and support from MIVA. The BEN process started in March 2025 when it was discovered that programs were working in isolation and even the government was involved only during advocacy. To avoid duplication of activities and the same people benefitting from the different programs, it was necessary to bring everyone on board to get involved in the design of projects, which should help the government make informed decisions as those in leadership positions.

Priority Regions and Partner Organizations

The priority regions where BEN Network covers are the Northwest with three partners (CARITAS, SEEPD CBR and Coordinating Unit of the Association of Persons With Disabilities (CUAPWDs), West with three partners (Choose Life Generation,Bafoussam Baptist Hospital and the Network of ex-Liliane Fonds Beneficiaries) and Center with three partners (Association des Parents en Situation de Handicap (APESH), Fille de la Charite and Platform for Inclusive Societies – a national Coordinating Organisation of Persons with disabilities). Nicky Foundation is the cross-cutting partner from the Southwest region.

Progress and Objectives

Reports from these partner organizations to the Steering Committee showed great strides working in synergy within the short time that the BEN network was created. The partner organizations strive to align to the objectives of BEN which promotes full participation of children and youth with disabilities, strengthens systems across education, health, livelihoods and social inclusion, enhances collaboration and drives sustainable and systemic change. The BEN approach strengthens national network rather than isolated projects, and it brings stakeholders together and see what they do and be able to complement each other instead of competing or duplicating efforts.

Key Structures

The BEN Network has three key structures. The National Stakeholders Committee made up of internal and external partners is chaired by the Minister of Social Affairs and co-chaired by Prof. Tih Pius. The Steering Committee is made up of direct partners and key CBC Health Services leaders chaired by the Director of Health Services. The third structure is the Community of Practice (CoP) at the National level, one responsible for Safeguarding and Protection and the Advocacy Committee CoP.

Call for Collaboration and Support

Speaking via zoom, the Director of Programs at the Liliane Foundation Gerrit de Vries insisted that the BEN Network is about working together and trusting one another. He called for flexibility in application, inclusive learning, partnership taking leadership positions and actual collaboration. MIVA, which is one of the key funders of the BEN Network committed to continue her support in the aspects of communication and transportation. From 2016 to 2025, a total of 43 partner organizations have benefitted from MIVA support with a total of 106 items including 36 cars, 26 motor bikes, 29 mobile phones, 13 laptops, 2 projectors, 1 musical set and a solar system.

Before the meeting rose, the Steering Committee members signed an engagement and popped Champaigne to mutually stay and work together in favour of children and youth with disabilities.