MEET THE FOUNDER
Since 2007, GivHOPE Founder, Helene Pieume, assisted groups of school dropouts and drug-addicts in
her neighborhood and encouraged them to either go back to School or undergo vocational training. She
provided them with food, shelter and contributed to the payment of their school fees. Over the years,
she expanded the scope of her work to consultations and research work with some of these youths that
have demonstrated that they can make a difference in fighting poverty through their actions and
advocacy via individual, collective activities or joining other youth organizations. Youths are key agents
of change, but too often the nature and impact of their projects are not recognized or documented
sufficiently. They also face difficulties being voiceless and not engaging enough directly in civic life. As a
result, they need a motivational push that can definitely move them. In order to help them take this
move and make a difference in reducing poverty among themselves, after retirement, GivHOPE Africa
Founder decided to expand her activities, using this first batch of trainees, to other neighborhoods of
Yaoundé.
Prior to founding GivHOPE Africa, the Founder of GivHOPE Africa, held positions at the World Bank
Group, Cameroon Country Office as Program Associate and Strategic Communications Officer and at
IOCS Computer Services, Inc. in Washington, DC as a Consultant in charge of training, working with many
US companies. She also worked for IOCS-African Informatics in Cameroon in charge of Office Techniques
and Public Relations, helping the Government to computerize its key services at the Ministry of Finances
and others. She also has previous private sector and diplomatic experience from the industry and
embassies.
Hélène holds a Degree in Computer Sciences and Business Administration with Honors from Strayer
University, Washington, DC.
Country experience: France, USA, Cameroon, Morocco, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Belgium, Senegal,
Chad, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa.