Their work is to clean up the metropolis of Douala from February 17 to March 16 this year.

Some young people in Douala have found a reason to smile. The 200 temporary jobs created by the Douala City Council, DCC, involving reporting on activities at some project sites, general cleanliness and checking urban disorder, will keep the one-time jobless young men and women busy.

During a special ceremony to commission the young people, the Government Delegate to the Douala City Council, Dr. Fritz Ntone Ntone, said the aim, besides the allowance to be given them, is to support young people in leveraging their skills while guaranteeing them access to their first-ever professional experience. To this end, they will from February 17 to March 16, 2015, be involved in picking up litter from the streets, removing banners and expired posters, picking up fallen poles, sensitising the public, sweeping gutters, clearing up bushy areas, cleaning up walls of buildings, etc.

Douala is facing population explosion and unemployment. At the time cities are including youths in major economic and social matters, the DCC has begun recruiting young people within the framework of the first phase of its annual programme “Occupation Jeunes”. It is part of efforts by the council to meet the sanitary expectations and needs of its inhabitants, strengthen preventive measures against various vices and seek new methods of action against unemployment, discrimination and social inequality.

Last year, DCC recruited some 392 youths to fight urban disorder, ensure general cleanliness and sanitation. Some 174 youths, divided into painting and general cleanliness and 69 youths worked in concrete workshops to ensure that there was a good account on the part of the workers manufacturing slabs and refurbishing gutters.