Manager (CEO)

Desmond Nji

Desmond Nji is a passionate young promoter of sustainable development at community and global levels, with more than 15 years of experience in the promotion of the health and well-being of young people, women and children, including sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and fight against HIV/AIDS. As the founder and CEO of DESERVE, Desmond offers strategic leadership and has fostered key partnerships for DESERVE. He has led projects which secured grants executed by DESERVE. Also serving as National Vice President of the Cameroon Youth Network, The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health – PMNCH  Adolescent and Youth Constituency member and Women Deliver Young Leader, Desmond led the multistakeholder Advocating for Change for Adolescents Project (ACAP) in Cameroon which started in 2017. ACAP produced a comprehensive adolescent well-being report in Cameroon endorsed by the government through the Minister of Youth Affairs and Civic Education and published by DESERVE in 2023. ACAP also involved the development of a toolkit for disaggregated data collection on adolescent health and well-being. Desmond led two sexuality education projects in Cameroon between 2016 and 2018 which developed an age-appropriate sexuality education manual for secondary schools endorsed by the Northwest Regional Inspector for Orientation and School Life. 

In 2023, he led the global 1point8 Billion Young People for Change Campaign in Cameroon that surveyed up to 55,000 young people (10-24 years old) on what they want for their health and well-being. Results of the survey were presented to the Minister of Youth Affairs during the Cameroon Forum on Adolescents in prelude to the October 2023 Global Forum for Adolescents.

Desmond was appointed and serves as Secretary of the Advocacy and Partner Engagement Committee (APEC) of PMNCH (hosted by the World Health Organisation in Geneva) since 2024. He previously held the role of the PMNCH Secretary of the Strategic Advocacy Committee (2021-2024). While serving as co-chair of the PMNCH Advocacy Working Group (AWG) (2020-2021), he contributed in co-designing and co-leading the COVID-19 Call to Action which helped to mobilise more than US$30 billion worth of government and donor commitments to strengthen health systems to protect women, children and adolescents during and after COVID-19. 

He holds an MSc in Health Economics from the Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, United Kingdom, graduate and postgraduate diplomas in Economics from The University of Bamenda, Cameroon and a BSc in Economics from the University of Dschang, Cameroon. He researches health services issues. As a Queen’s Young Leader, he took the Leading Change courses offered by the Institute of Continuing Education, University of Cambridge. 

His wide travel experience affords him transnational experience in matters concerning health and well-being. Desmond enjoys sewing, cooking, cycling and playing the piano.