Three hundred and twenty five youths from around the Region of Bougainville gathered recently in Arawa for the ‘Bougainville Youth Initiative Emerging Leaders Congress’.
Organised by Credit Union Foundation Australia, the event was held from May 23-25.
CUFA project officer, Ms Nellie Onabake, said the three-day Congress is aimed at getting youths, who have undergone CUFA trainings for the past two years together, to share their experiences.
“The youths will share with each other what kind of enterprises they have done after undergoing our trainings, so others can learn from their experiences,” she said.
“We have also invited other financial institutions and business houses to set up stalls around the Congress meeting area so the youths can be able to visit the stalls and ask questions of interest to them.”
Ms Onabake added that the open forums held during the Congress will be a platform where the youths can voice their sentiments so that Bougainville leaders can take note of issues affecting them. On the other hand, the Congress is also a space where youths can learn of the programs or plans Bougainville leaders have for them.
Ms Onabake also pointed out that most of the youths attending the Bougainville Youth Initiative Emerging Leaders’ Congress either dropped out or have not completed Grade 10 and 12.
CUFA, an international development agency, which was invited by the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) to assist with the Bougainville Youth Program, has been operating in Bougainville since July 2015.
The CUFA administered project is an Australian Aid Project. The project is aimed at helping youths in Bougainville improve their livelihood and employment opportunities.
(Youths at the Arawa Primary School Hall for the Bougainville Youth Initiative Emerging Leaders Congress)