About DIRA Foundation

A non-profit association working for education, opportunity, research and community development in Cameroon.

Who We Are

DIRA Foundation is a non-profit association headquartered in Bamenda, Cameroon. We work with communities, young people, entrepreneurs and institutions across Cameroon on education, digital skills and opportunities for local businesses.

By 2030, we aim to establish the DIRA Startup Incubator Program as a formal, continuing programme, build a hub in Bamenda for technology businesses and cooperatives from across Cameroon, and secure an endowment of more than 10 billion XAF to support the Foundation's long-term work.

A DIRA Foundation working session in a meeting room

Our Mission and Objectives

The foundation's objectives include:

  1. Promote digital literacy, technology education and skills training among young people, women and underserved communities.
  2. Organise DIRA Tech Fest and other conferences, exhibitions, hackathons, bootcamps and knowledge-sharing events.
  3. Support youth-owned and women-owned enterprises through incubation, mentorship, capacity building, seed grants and access to markets and networks.
  4. Promote and support applied research and innovation in information technology and AI, agriculture, health and biomedical science, environmental science, and construction and materials science, and share the findings for public benefit.
  5. Promote awareness and good practice in the housing, real estate, and transport and logistics sectors.
  6. Promote data sovereignty, records digitisation and information systems security awareness.
  7. Establish and administer scholarships, bursaries, seed grants and endowment funds for education, research and youth and community development.
  8. Partner with government ministries and agencies, traditional authorities, academic and research institutions, development finance institutions, civil society and the private sector.
  9. Receive and manage donations, membership contributions, grants, sponsorships and endowments for these objectives.
  10. Carry out health-related projects, including healthcare campaigns, awareness raising and WASH.

Non-Profit Character and Legal Status

Exclusively non-profit

Our assets and income are dedicated to our objectives. No part of our net income or assets goes to any founder, member, officer or Executive Committee member, other than reasonable pay for services actually rendered or reimbursement of proper expenses.

Relationship with DIRA Group

DIRA Foundation is the philanthropic arm of DIRA Group. Our founder also founded DIRA Group and its commercial entities. The foundation is a separate non-profit association, and the commercial activities of DIRA Group are not foundation programmes.

How We Work

Our approach follows the principles written into our constitution.

Collaboration

We work with ministries and agencies, traditional authorities, academic and research institutions, civil society and the private sector.

Inclusion

Young people, women and underserved communities are central to our objectives, and at least one member of our Executive Committee must be a woman.

Public benefit

We share the findings of the research we support so that the wider community can benefit from it.

Accountability

We answer to our members and the communities we serve, and we report our activities and spending to them and to our partners.

Programme reports are published with each event. The DIRA Tech Fest 2026 report is on the Tech Fest site.

Take Part in the Foundation's Work

Individuals, communities and institutions are welcome to volunteer, collaborate or support our programmes.

Get Involved Partners