Project Background
The Jumbam Family Foundation (JFF) is a Cameroon-based non-governmental organization that aims to contribute to peacebuilding in Cameroon and support communities affected by the Anglophone crisis, primarily through women and youth empowerment, education, and healthcare. Co-founded by Desmond Jumbam (MSGH ‘16, MBA ‘25) and his mother, Seh Rebecca Jumbam, in 2020, JFF emerged out of a personal tragedy and their determination to transform it into a lasting impact and restore hope for victims of the crisis. The organization focuses on three core areas: women empowerment, as well as providing education and healthcare services to refugees and internally displaced people from Anglophone regions of Cameroon.
Definition of Opportunity
One of the most devastating impacts of the Anglophone crisis is the toll that it poses on women. In 2020 JFF launched a project focused on empowering widows who had lost their livelihoods as a result of the crisis. The program provides grief counseling, psychosocial support, and opportunities for widows to regain their livelihoods, including small business support and educational opportunities. The program has thus far supported 49 women to regain their livelihoods. Most women have started sustainable businesses, including a small poultry and pig farm, rearing and selling of goats, clothing retail and the production and sale of palm oil. The program has been in hiatus for the past year and a half while JFF established its Ngek C. Constantine Scholarship Program. In 2025, JFF plans to relaunch the women’s support program as the “Hope and Renewal Initiative.”
Definition of Success
JFF hopes to gain a deeper understanding of key factors that have led to the success of previous participants, i.e., bright spots, and practical recommendations for improving the next iteration of the widow’s project based on these findings. Ultimately, our goal is to generate evidence based on bright spots and comparative analysis to strengthen project relaunch.
Identify Success Stories: Highlight individual and collective success stories that demonstrate the effectiveness of the program's strategies and interventions. This will be done via remote interviews with previous participants and staff.
Find Bright Spots: Identify the project's most successful elements that can be scaled or replicated in future cohorts.
Analyze Challenges: Identify and analyze the challenges faced by the participants and the project team, providing insights into areas needing improvement.
Recommend Enhancements: Provide actionable recommendations for enhancing the program based on the lessons learned and identified bright spots. Develop strategies to ensure the long-term sustainability and scalability of the project.
Document Findings: Create comprehensive documentation of the findings, including case studies, data analysis, and strategic recommendations.
