I did my Grade 8 but I wasn’t selected to continue to Grade 9.
I thought there is no more hope for me.
I followed the boys on the street, drinking homebrew and taking marijuana. I was just roaming around.
Even though my father had a job, I still felt that there was emptiness in my life. It was worthless. I was not satisfied with my life because I really wanted to complete my schooling somehow.
Then I heard people mention the name of this place, City Mission. I wondered, what kind of place is City Mission?
That was when I came to live with my relatives in Port Moresby. I decided to find out more about City Mission.
I went for an interview at Koki and they told me to return on a specific date. When I went back, they brought me here to the farm. I stayed here and followed the program of the City Mission and I learned to follow rules and learnt to do many things.
I was put into agriculture and learnt how to do gardening and farming. Then I moved on to other departments like livestock, kitchen, workshop where we learnt some other skills as well.
My work ethics attracted the bosses and leaders and they appointed me to become a staff. I was appointed as a trainee worker in City Mission. I saw that I was changing and I realised that there was opportunity for me out there in life.
Here I was helping the boys but then I felt I must continue to improve my education.
I saved some money from my work and I applied to Koki Tech and did TVET training from 2014 – 2015. I graduated there with a Mechanical Certificate while I was still here at City Mission.
My family also helped me until I completed two years of mechanical course at Koki Tech. I asked the City Mission management to let me go and do my job training and they agreed so I got attached to 2 Fast Motors as a mechanic but in the afternoon, I still continue my training role here at City Mission.
I was with 2-Fast Motors for almost 7 years; all the while I was still helping with training here.
It was getting difficult to be in two places so I asked City Mission to release me to work full time at 2- Fast Motors. Recently the founder of City Mission, Larry George, called and asked me to return to City Mission and help, so I came back here.
It has been four months since I started working as the mechanic for all the vehicles of City Mission.
I am thankful to City Mission and I am looking forward to more in life.
My aim is to use whatever knowledge and skills I have to help other underprivileged young men to make something of their life.
As for myself, I still want to further my education and gain a diploma or degree so I can be a tradesman mechanic.