Manager (CEO)

Desmond Nji

Desmond Nji is a passionate young promoter of sustainable development in community and global engagements 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. 

Since he founded DESERVE, became National Vice President of the Cameroon Youth Network, PMNCH Adolescent and Youth Constituency member and Women Deliver Young Leader, he led the Advocating for Change for Adolescents Project (ACAP) in Cameroon launched in August 2018 and endorsed by Cameroon’s Minister of Youth Affairs and Civic Education on 1st November, 2021. ACAP included the adaptation of the toolkit used in English and French and development of a toolkit for disaggregated data collection on adolescent health and well-being. Desmond also 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. 

Between 2020 and 2021, he served as co-chair of the Advocacy Working Group (AWG) of The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health – PMNCH  (hosted by the World Health Organization in Geneva) and 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 benefit women, children and adolescents during and after COVID-19. Since May 2021, he serves as Secretary of the Strategic Advocacy Committee (SAC) of PMNCH.