Shey Vitalis Mbunkur
Hello, my name is Shey Vitalis Mbunker. I'm from Cameroon and am a social entrepreneur and the founder of a social enterprise called Better Future for All Association, which is incorporated in Cameroon.
I was a volunteer with some international organization and with African Youth Human Rights and Citizenship Development Initiative, where I was the African coordinator. I was also the Cameroon chapter leader with Youth for Human Rights International. In 2016, I did voluntary work with an organization that is actually where I came to know about the SDGs, an organization that was promoting the SDGs all over Cameroon.
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And then after that, I saw some opportunities to represent my country as an SDG ambassador. Then from there, I went through these 17 objectives and their targets and I discovered that it cuts across all the aspects of our society and I felled in love with the SDGs, to be honest with you. Since then, I have been working towards promoting it, implementing this agenda, and creating awareness about her importance and the role each and everyone has to play.
There were projects which I started when I was back in Cameroon which I was unable to complete because I had to leave involuntarily. I left Cameroon involuntarily due to conflict, something that started in 2016, I arrived in Cyprus in 2019, and so when I arrived in Cyprus, I saw it as some kind of an opportunity to continue with my career, but it was not easy. I became a volunteer in some organizations and was selected by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network as a local pathway fellow where I represented the city of Nicosia. I worked on a project entitled ``Responding to the socio-economic challenges faced by asylum seekers and refugees based in Nicosia``.​
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When we look at some of the challenges, for example, the integration of refugees into the Cypriot community, it is a very big challenge. The laws put in place by the government for asylum seekers who are only supposed to do some particular jobs so having that job is not easy. I also proposed the acquisition of skills that matches the job market which could help them to be self-employed and contribute to the nation`s building in their receiving country.
I like the fellowship because it exposed me to these issues and assignments with had every month. I interview some organizations like Caritas Emphasis center and Dignity Center. I remember very well there was an assignment that we were asked to find out how the city that we were representing measure the SDGs. I went to the Nicosia Municipality center but did not get any concrete results. This particular experience made me take a course on how to measure these goals.
What SDG are you personally interested in?
OK, the SDGs that are most concerned with are the SDG8, SDG9, SDG3, SDG16, and SDG17. The reason why I am more connected with these is because of many reasons. Let me take the case of the SDG17 Partnership for the goals, you know, this is a global issue. It is not like Millennium Development Goals that were meant for developing countries. So partnership is very important if we want to achieve this goal. That is actually what I'm most concerned about: we need to work in a collective effort.
I'm also talking about the SDG16, which is peace, justice, and a strong institution. I have this particular goal at heart because, let me just say in a place in society, a country where there is no climate of peace, where there is maybe conflict, where there is war, you will bear with me that no amount of money, no amount of technical know-how will actually pave the way to achieving these goals. If I take the case of my country where I come from, we have had conflicts since 2016, since then 80% of children are not going to school. Just imagine what that means. A lot of people have moved from the regions where the country conflict is currently going on and you'll discover it'll be very difficult for us to achieve well in regions or in a country like this one.
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We talk about innovation, industry, and infrastructure, which is actually very important for us, coupled with the fact that we have covid-19. We have since seen the negative impact caused by covid-19. And I think it is time for us to try to think outside of the box, look for innovative solutions.
Good health and wellbeing, if you are not in good health, there is absolutely nothing you can do. That is why this particular goal concerns me.
And talking about this goal, there is a project I started, my organization started working on back in Cameroon. We call it PharmaFast, through which we try to bring pharmacies, the medical doctors, the medication, the health centers closer to the public. It is a mobile application. We did research and we started to work. Unfortunately, I left, but I'm happy while in Cyprus, I was able to build it and in the weeks ahead, we are going to launch PharmaFast.
In the current situation in Cyprus which SDG requires more action?
OK, thank you very much for that question, because, as I say, the first time when I came here, I went through reports of the country. When you look at the global ranking from 2019, Cyprus happens to be categorized not badly in the global ranking. But now looking at continental ranking, within the EU treaty, the report of 2019 and 2020 shows that Cyprus is ranked twenty-one out of twenty-two countries, which is not actually that encouraging. That there are goals that are on the track of being achieved. You will see some goals that the country has prioritized some goals like SDG11 and SDG15. But the goal that to prioritize is to reduce inequality and then we have goal 17 as well, partnership for the goals, and then we also have to tackle responsible consumption and production. These are the goals that I think they should lay more emphasis on in Cyprus.
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I know that Cyprus has to create more awareness because yes, you see, you cannot actually be walking in promoting something which you have no idea about. You need to know the goals. The people of Cyprus have to know, especially the young people. The students, have to know about these goals. So that they will be working on achieving these goals is very, very important. We need to create awareness, educate them, and give them opportunities. There are so many opportunities as far as you want to learn about the SDGs is concerned. Thank you very much.
What’s your message to people about SDGs?
The SDGs are a wonderful initiative so to the leaders, my message to them is that they should know we are in a decade of action. We have just less than 10 years for the goals for Agenda 2030 to be achieved. And when you actually look at the part where we are, it will be very difficult for us to achieve it by 2030. There are certain things that we need to know. If we really want to achieve these goals, the leader should try as much as possible to avoid the escalation of conflict in the world. To be honest with you, that is maybe when conflict begins, they should try to intervene when it is still beginning because when it reaches a particular level it will be very difficult to put an end to it. And by doing so, the SDGs will not be achieved in this particular country. And it will not only affect that country, but it is also going to affect other countries as far as a diplomatic and international partnership is concerned.
I will also like them to invest in young people both financially and materially. I'm so happy with what young people are doing right now, they mean they are actually working so hard to make the world a better place for mankind. The world should invest in them and give them the opportunity that is needed so that they can at least better this planet for good. Thank you.