Develop STEM and Sustainability Learning Resources in Cameroon

Host entity: Goodness and Mercy Missions

Areas of expertise: Project management, programme development, strategy

Application deadline: 12/11/2026

Mission and objectives

Goodness and Mercy Missions (GMM) is a nonprofit organization founded in 2007 by Teh Francis Yai, based in the North West Region of Cameroon. GMM's mission is to strengthen rural communities by providing essential tools, skills, and opportunities to underserved populations, enabling them to build sustainable and resilient lives. GMM works to break cycles of poverty through education, economic empowerment, and community development, with a focus on long-term, community-driven impact. The organization was born from the founder's personal experience growing up in a polygamous household with limited resources, where cultural barriers to women's financial independence nearly interrupted his own education. This experience shaped GMM's core priorities: empowering rural women to achieve financial autonomy and guaranteeing children's access to education. Since 2017, GMM has held Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), reflecting its commitment to international standards in humanitarian and development work. GMM's programs span school sponsorship, women's empowerment, computer training, library services, school construction, solar energy distribution, peace building, and relief aid delivery. The organization operates primarily in the Boyo Division of the North West Region, with activities extending to the West, South West, Littoral, and Centre Regions of Cameroon. GMM's core values include participatory strategy, sustainability, equity and non-discrimination, accountability, partnership cooperation, empowerment, and inclusion. Through partnerships with representative organizations and online volunteer support, GMM seeks to leverage global expertise to develop community-based, culturally appropriate programs that can be implemented by local staff and community facilitators on the ground.

Assignment context

GMM seeks six Online Volunteers to create one practical STEM and sustainability learning resource pack for its community education work. The aim is to help local facilitators explain everyday science, responsible resource use and simple data concepts to young people. Materials will use low-cost activities, plain English and printable or small-file formats that do not depend on specialist equipment or continuous connectivity.The six thematic modules will follow a shared format so that GMM can combine and adapt them as one pack. Over twelve weeks, volunteers will research and draft their modules, check the reproducibility of activities or calculations, revise materials with GMM staff and prepare reusable files for handover. Topics will connect technical knowledge with everyday learning rather than advanced engineering. GMM will confirm learner ages, available materials and local relevance at onboarding. Volunteers work entirely online; they will not conduct site visits, build equipment, perform safety inspections or contact community members.

Task description

Ten Online Volunteers will each develop one module of a shared learning resource pack. Applicants may state their preferred component; GMM will allocate modules according to relevant skills.

Volunteer 1&2 Everyday science and simple engineering
Develop a module explaining one or two basic concepts, such as forces, simple machines or energy conversion. Prepare four safe paper-based or everyday-material activities with clear explanations and expected observations. An existing free simulation may be suggested as an optional extension, with an offline alternative. No CAD models, specialist software or construction of powered devices is required.

Volunteer 3&4 Energy and environmental literacy
Develop a module on energy sources, responsible energy use and environmental trade-offs. Use reliable institutional sources to explain key concepts without assuming technical knowledge. Prepare activities comparing everyday energy choices and identifying avoidable waste. Distinguish supported facts from suggestions and avoid site-specific engineering, fuel-handling or electrical installation instructions.

Volunteer 5&6 Learning to read data and charts
Develop a module on interpreting counts, percentages and simple charts. Use one small public aggregate dataset agreed with GMM, with roughly 20-50 records and two or three relevant numerical indicators. Include a spreadsheet annex with the source table, documented formulas, a short cleaning log and three labelled charts. Use these in the activity cards, explaining units, missing values and limitations. Excel or equivalent is sufficient.

Volunteer 7&8 Climate awareness and practical resource use
Develop a module linking basic climate concepts with feasible resource-saving choices in a learning space or community setting. Prepare four scenario-based activities and a facilitator run sheet showing timing, materials and adaptations. Identify one trade-off or limitation for each proposed action. Keep activities educational and avoid claiming measured emissions reductions without supporting data.

Volunteer 9 Digital skills for accessing learning resources
Develop a module on finding, saving and organising useful learning materials on a shared or basic device. Prepare activities on purposeful searching and sensible file organisation, with printable alternatives where device access is limited. Include steps for checking access requirements and avoiding unnecessary downloads. Education, communication, computing or other relevant experience is welcome.

Volunteer 10 Water and waste awareness
Develop a module explaining simple water conservation and waste-reduction concepts using household or learning-space examples. Prepare four observation or sorting exercises and a visual handout. Avoid handling hazardous waste, experiments involving contaminated water or unsupported health claims. Applicants with science, education, environmental studies or related skills are welcome.Individual deliverables
Each of the six Online Volunteers will produce one complete thematic learning module: four activity cards for 20-30-minute sessions, covering introductory and practice activities; two learner handouts; a three- to four-page facilitator guide; a source note of up to three pages referencing at least ten reliable public sources; and a six- to eight-slide presentation for facilitator use. A document-based visual summary may replace the slides where GMM prefers a printable format. The source note must distinguish evidence, suggested activities and issues requiring local verification. Each activity card must include a learning objective, materials, steps, an inclusion adjustment and two questions with suggested answers.Shared production method.

all six modules form one resource pack. GMM will provide a common editable template, confirm the audience and allocate topics at onboarding. Each volunteer is responsible for their own module, submits a short weekly update and revises it following staff feedback. Volunteers may exchange comments, but GMM staff supervise all volunteers, approve content and assemble the final pack.

Skills and experience

1. Relevant coursework, a research or competition project, an internship or volunteer activity demonstrating skills in at least one component. Applicants are not expected to have expertise in all six topics.

2. Ability to explain a basic scientific, environmental or digital concept in clear English and check it against reliable sources. Working knowledge of English is required; French or Cameroonian Pidgin English is an asset, not a requirement.

3. For the science, energy and climate components, foundational technical knowledge and interest in public education. For the data component, ability to enter and check data, calculate percentages and create labelled spreadsheet charts.

4. For the digital and water/waste components, basic research, document preparation and educational communication skills. Programming, statistical modelling and specialist engineering software are not required for this assignment.

5. Basic Word, Excel or equivalent tools, ability to create readable PDF files, reliable internet access for submissions and participation in staff-led check-ins.

6. Attention to accessibility, copyright, accurate units and references, and the difference between illustrative examples and observed evidence. Applicants from other fields with relevant skills are welcome.

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