Forty-seven youth representatives from all 13 districts of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (AROB) now have a better understanding of the impacts of corruption and the importance of positive leadership.
This follows a five-day training program facilitated by Transparency International PNG (TIPNG) and supported through the Papua New Guinea-Australia Partnership.
The Active Civic Engagement (ACE) program is one of TIPNG’s flagship youth engagement programs designed to foster positive leadership and community values among young people in PNG.
The program reintroduced participants to the devastating impacts of corruption at the community level and the effectiveness of positive leadership, unity and consultation in addressing corruption.
A youth representative from Konnou, Jeffrey Kangkei, said he was grateful to be involved in the program, as youth from his area had few opportunities to interact with young people from other parts of Bougainville.
He stated, he had learnt about ways to stop corruption in his community and across Bougainville, and he was excited to share what he had learnt with other youths in his village.
The program also included exposure to inspiring leaders and positive role models such as ABG’s Speaker of the House of Representatives, Simon Pentau, ABG North Bougainville Women’s Representative, Amanda Masono-Getsi, and renowned filmmaker and artist, Llane Munau, who shared their experiences and encouraged participants with messages of good governance and leadership.
TIPNG chief executive officer, Arianne Kassman, reflected on the training, saying: “The need for civic participation and engagement in both our national and sub-national governance frameworks is just as critical as ever.
“Our ACE program is specifically designed to moderate the general over-reliance on the government to solve our issues at the community level.
“We are proud of our participants, and we hope that they can each take it one step further, by sharing what they have learned under this program with their peers and other individuals within their respective communities.”