PICHNETFR

PICHNETRaising Africa’s greatest generation

Across school partnerships, summer training, and paid holiday internships, PICHNET prepares young people in Yaoundé for work, adult life, and contribution.

Preparing for work, adulthood and community service via:

Young PICHNET participants jumping together outdoors.
  • Intensive Summer Camps80-350 interns annually
  • Professional InternshipsPublic Policy and Communications
  • International ExchangesCornell University; Korea University; GEC China
  • ResearchUnemployment, Inequality, Dividends; tracking 5,000 high school seniors
  • Policy AdvocacyAfrican Institute of Economic Development & Planning, United Nations
See How the Model WorksSupport the Next Cohort
What Participants Gain

Building Four Forms of Readiness

PICHNET prepares young people for the full transition into adult life: self-direction, household responsibility, work exposure, and public contribution.

Personal

Personal Readiness

Goal-setting, confidence, self-awareness, discipline, and practical life planning.

Domestic

Domestic Readiness

Caregiving, first aid, budgeting, home production, and family responsibility.

Economic

Economic Readiness

Work habits, applied skills, entrepreneurship exposure, and internship preparation.

Community

Community Readiness

Collaboration, service ethics, public contribution, and social responsibility.

PICHNETat a glance

A Cameroon-rooted institution connecting evidence, youth formation, and public communication around the school-to-adulthood transition.

Mission

Support the transition into adulthood

Support young people moving from school into adulthood.

Vision

Cultivate a generation

Youth capacity as a long-term investment in families, communities, and public life.

Origin

Founded in Yaoundé in 2016

Founded by Prof. Parfait Eloundou-Enyegue and Vincent de Paul Fouda Onguene.

Network

Schools, research, partners, and media

Connected to schools, researchers, public partners, and media collaborators.

Why this matters now

Youth transition in Cameroon happens under real structural pressure

Cameroon is a young country, but the demographic dividend is not automatic. The move from school into work and adult life is where long-term gains are either built or lost.

23%

Youth NEET Rate

Young people aged 15-24 not in employment, education, or training in 2024, according to the World Bank update.

  1. 2017

    School entry and trust-building

    • 800 essays reviewed; 12 winning texts published.
  2. Since 2018
  3. July 2019

    Holiday cohort training at human scale

  4. Aug.-Sep. 2020
  5. Ongoing

    Follow-up and public learning

Research, programs, and stories

Research papers and charts reviewed during a PICHNET evidence session.

Research

Generating Evidence

We generate high-quality empirical research critical to both understand the needs of the dividend generation, and to develop and assess effective policies.

Explore Research
Students in a PICHNET youth capacity development session in Yaoundé.

Youth Capacity Development

Cultivating Capital

Our training of youth seeks to develop their human capital in four concentric areas of their lives, including their personal, domestic, work and community lives.

Explore Programs
A camera records a PICHNET interview about youth and public policy.

Policy Communication

Amplifying Voices

We work with a network of journalists to draw policy attention to issues connecting youth, demographic dividends and sustainable development.

Read Stories

PICHNET in the field

PICHNET interns jumping together outdoors during a group portrait.
ProgramsCohort energyInterns leap together in a high-energy group portrait that conveys momentum and confidence.
Students listening during a classroom session at a PICHNET learning event.
LearningClassroom learningStudents listen closely during a classroom session led as part of PICHNET youth development work.
A large PICHNET internship cohort gathered together outdoors on a golf course.
InternshipsInternship communityA large cohort gathers on the golf grounds, showing the social texture of the internship program.
Students raising their hands during a PICHNET youth capacity session in Yaoundé.
ProgramsRaised handsStudents raise their hands during a youth capacity session in Yaoundé.
A large PICHNET group gathered outdoors and celebrating together.
ProgramsCelebration outdoorsA large PICHNET group gathers outdoors after a program moment.
A PICHNET participant presenting recommendations beside a PICHNET banner.
TrainingPresentation momentA participant presents recommendations beside the PICHNET banner.
Dancers performing during a PICHNET-linked public gathering.
StoriesCultural performancePerformance and public gathering during a PICHNET-linked program event.
A PICHNET competition prize recipient holding an award check.
ImpactCompetition recognitionA prize recipient is photographed against the PICHNET competition backdrop.
Participants cooking together during a practical youth capacity activity.
Four CapitalsDomestic capacityParticipants practice cooking skills as part of practical capacity work.
A PICHNET program group standing together for a portrait.
ArchiveProgram portraitA program group portrait from the PICHNET public archive.
Young PICHNET participants gathered outside in coordinated event attire.
ArchiveField cohortParticipants gather outside during a youth archive event.
A group posing with a PICHNET excellence award at a public event.
RecognitionPrize groupA team gathers after receiving recognition during a public PICHNET event.
Young participants seated around a table during a facilitated discussion.
DiscussionRoundtableParticipants in discussion during a structured youth roundtable session.
A group of young participants holding certificates during a PICHNET ceremony.
CompletionCertificatesParticipants display certificates during a completion ceremony.
Young participants seated outdoors during a PICHNET workshop session.
WorkshopWorkshop audienceYoung participants listen during an outdoor session in the archive.

Documented Field Record

Roughly 5,000

Panel Cohort

Young adults followed in Yaoundé since 2018

Panel survey note

300

2019 Holiday Cohort

Students trained in the Yaoundé program

Program archive

20

Baseline Schools

Secondary schools named in the panel design

Baseline design

Collaborators across the work

Review Collaborators
United Nations logoUnited NationsAfrican Union logoUNFPA logoIFORD logoCare-Ifa logoMutations logoCornell University logoMinerva Initiative logoMinerva InitiativeMINJEC logoMINEPAT logoMINEPAT
How You Can Help

Support the Next Cohort

Help PICHNET keep youth training, internship exposure, and long-term follow-up moving for young people in Yaoundé.

  • Fund youth training
  • Open internship pathways
  • Sustain long-term follow-up
Support the Next CohortPartner With PICHNET