Build sustainable livelihoods for internally displaced women in Cameroon

Host entity: Goodness and Mercy Missions

Areas of expertise: Data science, information management, Artificial Intelligence, Economics, poverty reduction, livelihoods, Emergency preparedness, crisis response

Application deadline: 25/11/2026

Mission and objectives

Goodness and Mercy Missions Cameroon is a community-based, non-governmental development organization founded in 2007 to empower underprivileged and marginalized rural communities with the tools, knowledge and opportunities necessary to achieve sustainable livelihoods and improved living conditions.

The organization works primarily with vulnerable populations in rural communities of Cameroon's North West Region, particularly in Boyo Division. Its interventions focus on women's economic empowerment, education, healthcare, clean energy, environmental protection, community development, humanitarian assistance, peacebuilding and sustainable livelihoods.

GMM believes that vulnerable individuals and communities should not remain dependent on humanitarian assistance but should be empowered with the knowledge, skills, resources and opportunities necessary to become self-reliant.

Through initiatives such as entrepreneurship training, Table Banking, women's cooperatives, child sponsorship and community-based development projects, GMM promotes economic independence, social inclusion and community resilience.

Our Mission

To empower underprivileged and marginalized communities with the tools, knowledge, skills and opportunities necessary to achieve sustainable livelihoods, self-reliance and improved quality of life.

Organizational Objectives

The key objectives of Goodness and Mercy Missions include:

1. To promote sustainable livelihood opportunities and economic empowerment among vulnerable women, particularly internally displaced women and rural women.

2. To provide entrepreneurship training, business development support and practical skills that enable vulnerable individuals to establish and manage sustainable income-generating activities.

3. To promote women's participation in savings and credit initiatives, cooperative movements and community-based economic development through approaches such as Table Banking.

4. To support access to education and opportunities for vulnerable and disadvantaged children.

5. To improve access to essential social services, including healthcare, clean energy and humanitarian assistance.

6. To promote community resilience, peaceful coexistence, environmental sustainability and inclusive development.

7. To strengthen the capacity of local communities to identify their development needs, mobilize available resources and implement sustainable solutions.

Assignment context

Since late 2016, the Anglophone armed conflict in Cameroon's North West and South West Regions has caused significant humanitarian and socioeconomic challenges. Women and children have been particularly affected by displacement, loss of livelihoods, insecurity and the disruption of normal economic and social activities.

Many internally displaced women have lost their businesses, farms, sources of income and other means of livelihood. Others have relocated to unfamiliar communities where they must rebuild their lives with limited resources and support.

The situation is particularly challenging for widows and women who have lost their husbands during the conflict and now carry the responsibility of providing for their children and other dependants.

Some of these women possess valuable entrepreneurial skills and business experience but lack the financial resources, business opportunities, technical knowledge and support systems necessary to restart their economic activities.

Goodness and Mercy Missions recognizes that humanitarian assistance alone cannot adequately address these challenges. There is a need for sustainable livelihood interventions that enable displaced women to regain their economic independence, rebuild their confidence and become active contributors to their families and communities.

Over the years, GMM has promoted women's economic empowerment through entrepreneurship training, Table Banking, savings initiatives and community-based cooperative development.

The organization is therefore seeking the support of international online volunteers to identify practical, affordable, replicable and sustainable livelihood projects that can be implemented to improve the economic conditions of internally displaced women in Cameroon.

The assignment will contribute to developing innovative livelihood solutions, preparing project proposals and identifying potential funding opportunities for their implementation.

Task description

TASK DESCRIPTION

Under this assignment, online volunteers will work with Goodness and Mercy Missions to research, identify, develop and document sustainable livelihood projects targeting internally displaced women in Cameroon.

The volunteers will undertake the following tasks:

1. Identification of Sustainable Livelihood Opportunities

- Research and identify practical income-generating activities suitable for internally displaced women in Cameroon.
- Explore small-scale businesses, agricultural activities, vocational enterprises, service-based businesses and other livelihood initiatives.
- Identify projects that require relatively modest start-up capital, are easy to implement and have the potential to generate regular income.
- Consider the different backgrounds, skills, experiences and circumstances of displaced women.

2. Development of Replicable Livelihood Models

- Identify livelihood initiatives that can be implemented by individual women or groups.
- Develop simple and practical business models that can be replicated in different communities.
- Explore opportunities for group enterprises, women's cooperatives, savings groups and community-based businesses.
- Recommend approaches that encourage sustainability, local ownership and long-term economic independence.

3. Preparation of Project Proposals

- Develop project concepts and proposals for selected livelihood initiatives.
- Outline project objectives, target beneficiaries, implementation strategies and expected outcomes.
- Develop preliminary budgets, resource requirements and implementation timelines.
- Identify potential challenges and propose practical strategies for addressing them.
- Incorporate monitoring and evaluation indicators to assess project performance and sustainability.

4. Identification of Potential Funding Opportunities

- Research potential donors, foundations, international development agencies, corporate social responsibility programmes and other funding institutions interested in women's economic empowerment and livelihood development.
- Identify relevant grant opportunities and funding programmes.
- Provide information on eligibility requirements, application procedures and submission deadlines where available.
- Recommend potential partnerships that could support the implementation and expansion of the proposed projects.

Skills and experience

1. Research and Analytical Skills

- Ability to conduct online research and gather relevant information.
- Ability to analyze development challenges and identify practical solutions.
- Good information organization and documentation skills.

2. Project Development and Proposal Writing

- Experience in developing project concepts and writing proposals.
- Ability to formulate project objectives, activities, expected outcomes and implementation strategies.
- Knowledge of project budgeting and resource planning.

3. Entrepreneurship and Business Development

- Knowledge of small business development and income-generating activities.
- Understanding of business planning, market assessment and enterprise management.
- Experience in developing microenterprise and community-based business models.

4. Women's Economic Empowerment and Community Development

- Interest or experience in women's empowerment, poverty reduction and sustainable livelihoods.
- Understanding of community-based development approaches.
- Knowledge of cooperative development, savings groups and microfinance initiatives will be an advantage.

5. Resource Mobilization and Fundraising

- Ability to research funding opportunities and identify potential donors.
- Experience in grant writing, fundraising or partnership development will be an advantage

Full eligibility requirements, conditions of service and application instructions are available on the official UNV platform.