Gender equality and education are two issues very close to Joannes’ heart. His mother never had the opportunity to continue in school in North Western Cameroon because of the many barriers women faced in her time. Because of this experience, she made sure to instill in her children the importance of quality education. Joannes has harnessed this energy and devoted himself to campaigning for university access to education, speaking at conferences such as the United Nations. In 2014, he was awarded the Youth Courage Award for his leadership in advancing education for marginalized education in rural Cameroon.
Joannes holds an International Development diploma from the University of British Columbia. He is currently working on a World Health Organization project related to the use of smart phones by community health workers in Niger.
