Pillar 01 — Our work
HEALTH
Malaria awareness campaigns, cholera sensitization, blood donation drives, menstrual hygiene education and community health outreach that help communities stay well.
ExploreWhat if one genuine act could
TRANSFORM
a community?
Since 2022 · Buea, Cameroon
We don't hand out smiles. We build the conditions that earn them.
Make Them Smile Foundation is a youth-led, volunteer-driven nonprofit based in Buea, Cameroon, empowering communities through health promotion, skills development, entrepreneurship, and youth leadership. Through community outreach, education, advocacy and strategic partnerships, we help people build healthier, more self-reliant futures.
“Happiness in every genuine act.”
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Our mission
Toempowerindividualsandcommunitiesthroughhealthpromotion,skillsdevelopment,entrepreneurship,andyouthleadershipinitiativesthatcreatelastingsocialimpact.
How we workWhy it matters
Across many communities in Cameroon, young people face real barriers to healthcare, practical skills training, entrepreneurship opportunities and leadership development. Founded in Buea in April 2022, Make Them Smile Foundation exists to help close those gaps through campaigns, workshops, partnerships and youth-led community action, delivered almost entirely by volunteers. Our work aligns with Sustainable Development Goals 1, 2 and 3: no poverty, zero hunger, and good health and wellbeing.
Pillar 02 — Our work
SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
Capacity-building workshops, leadership training, vocational and fashion skills sponsorship, and prison-based empowerment programmes that give people skills they can earn from.
Explore
Pillar 03 — Our work
ENTREPRENEURSHIP & YOUTH LEADERSHIP
Entrepreneurship education, youth summits and the One Youth One Dream platform — helping young people become self-reliant and lead change in their own communities.
ExploreProject highlights
Work in progress, reported plainly.
Blood Donation Drives
Annual blood donation campaigns organised with Blood Track and HERO Cameroon, strengthening local blood reserves.
500+ Units collected
Disease Awareness Campaigns
World AIDS Day outreaches, Cholera sensitization at Muea with The Brains Association, and a World Malaria Day clean-up and sensitization campaign with SAS Foundation, repeated each year around internationally observed health days.
3,000+ People reached
Menstrual Hygiene Campaigns
Menstrual health education and awareness for girls and women at Vasingi Village and Wonyalyonga Community, a recurring annual programme.
1,500+ Girls & women reached
Kumba Central Prison Women's Workshop
A skills empowerment and capacity-building workshop delivered to women at Kumba Central Prison, supporting personal development, dignity and reintegration.
200+ Participants empowered
Ankara Fashion Training Sponsorship
Sponsored vocational fashion training in partnership with Lambo Fashionista, giving young women a practical trade and a route to self-reliance.
30+ Trained
Orphanage Outreach
Outreach visits to orphanages in Kumba and Bomaka, providing supplies, meals and companionship.
400+ Children supported
A story from the field
View more stories"I never thought my blood could save a life until they showed me the numbers. Now I bring five friends every year."
SAS Foundation
The Brains Association
Lambo Fashionista
Her Strength Initiative
Blood Track
HERO Cameroon
Faculty of Health Sciences Buea
Biaka University Institute
Kumba Central Prison
Kumba Regional Hospital Annex
Just Breathe ConferenceSAS FoundationThe Brains AssociationLambo FashionistaHer Strength InitiativeBlood TrackHERO CameroonFaculty of Health Sciences BueaBiaka University InstituteKumba Central PrisonKumba Regional Hospital AnnexJust Breathe ConferenceOur impact since 2022
Numbers only matter because people do.
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Individuals reached
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Community campaigns implemented
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Volunteers mobilised
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Partnerships gained
“The session was informative, practical, and engaging. I left with a better understanding of menstrual health and useful knowledge that I can also share with others in my community.”
Flagship platformExplore OYOD 2026
One YouthOne Dream(OYOD)
Building healthy futures through youth leadership, innovation and community action.
One Youth One Dream is the flagship youth leadership and innovation platform of Make Them Smile Foundation. It brings together young people, professionals, entrepreneurs, policymakers, development practitioners and community leaders to learn, connect, collaborate and act.
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From the field
See the work. Hear the story.
A short documentary from our 2024 Blood Donation Drive at the Faculty of Health Sciences, Buea — in the words of the people who showed up.
In the community
Moments from our work.
Real photographs from our campaigns, workshops and events across Buea and Kumba.
Volunteer
We need specific hands, not general goodwill.
Every role below supports a real campaign, with a clear schedule and a coordinator to guide you.
- Health Campaign VolunteerCampaign days · Buea, Bamenda, & Kumba
- Blood Drive VolunteerCampaign-based · Partner health institutions
- Community Outreach VolunteerProject-based · Buea & surrounding communities
- Skills Workshop FacilitatorWorkshop-based · Buea
- OYOD Conference VolunteerEvent-based · Buea
- Media, Photography & Storytelling VolunteerProject-based · Remote friendly
You have the power to make a difference.
10,000 FCFA
could provide menstrual hygiene kits for several girls
25,000 FCFA
could support a community health sensitization session
50,000 FCFA
could help sponsor 10 young persons to attend OYOD