It is tough living in a big city like Port Moresby and not many young people would consider volunteering as an employment.
However, one young man who had the patience and perseverance to earn him full-time employment is now Port Moresby Nature Park’s grounds officer.
Nathaniel Suagu, originally from Yangoru in East Sepik Province, had been volunteering with the Port Moresby Nature Park since 2018.
His voluntary services were required mostly during the Park’s public events where he could be found face-painting or simply assisting staff coordinate the day’s event. As an active member of his local community and church group, volunteering was a role Suagu enjoyed since completing his year 12 studies in 2014.
His creativity, enthusiasm and desire to acquire new knowledge gained recognition from his immediate supervisors at Port Moresby Nature Park, who encouraged him to apply for the position of grounds officer when it became vacant in 2019.
Sure enough, Suagu earned his first full-time employment as grounds officer in May 2019 and had since been a dedicated member at the Park.
“Nathaniel is an outspoken individual and stands up for our team and the organisation. That’s what he’s best known for here at the Park,” says Junior Muli, nursery team leader and Suagu’s immediate supervisor.
“Nathaniel’s role supports our team greatly in ensuring we as a team make the Park presentable and the vegetation is green and healthy for all our visitors.”
Suagu said: “Before joining the Park, I used to volunteer in other community programs with my youth group from church, but coming to Nature Park, there is so much to learn which I enjoy very much in my day to day job.”
Now into his second year of employment with Port Moresby Nature Park, Suagu has enhanced his skills in horticulture, proving he is an essential member of his team.
“I like learning about plants and envisioning how they would grow and look in years to come so I love landscaping and learning about horticulture here at the Park,” he stated.
A similar story can be shared by fellow colleague and then volunteer, Daniel Kodiwa Makati, who is now employed as a nursery staff at the Port Moresby Nature Park after volunteering with its marketing team since March this year.
Makati is a graduate from the University of Natural Resources and Environment, whose addition to the Park’s nursery team recently has been essential in the sharing of knowledge in agriculture and plants among the team.
With over 500 resident animals and 30 acres of tropical gardens, the Nature Park relies heavily on its workforce to keep the Park maintained, thus the organisation encourages employee engagement and provides support and continued learning to its all staff as it had for these two gentlemen.
(Nathaniel Suagu and his team)