PYEEEP project launched today in Honiara

By Timothy Inifiri Jr.

The Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs (MWYCFA) together with the Government of Aotearoa New Zealand and the South Pacific Community (SPC) have today launched the ‘Pacific Youth Engagement, Empowerment and Economic Pathways (PYEEEP) project’ in Honiara.

The three-year pilot project which is funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade aims to empower young Pacific Islanders who are not engaged in education, employment or training (NEET) to improve their social and economic well-being.

Speaking during the launch, Permanent Secretary of MWYCFA Dr. Cedrick Alependava said the project embarks on more innovative ways to address youth development in Solomon Islands and that the collaborative partnership will continue to be key in approaching youth development.

” The project will be delivering customised and contextualised pathways here in Honiara for young people not engaged in education, employment or training with hopes to expand it outside of Honiara and also to ensure an ongoing focus on youths with disabilities in the expansion”.

“This is an important and necessary project to support our youths who have, for different reasons, become disengaged or fall from education or do not have viable and reliable employment opportunities. This will help strengthen national systems and youth-based policies and activities to supplement conventional approaches within the formal education system”, said PS Alependava.

Dr. Alependava also stated that the project is also in line with the DCGA’s social policy objective to strengthen and increase support of women and youth empowerment programs.

Also present during the event were 40 young people who through the PYEEEP project, will have the opportunity to re-engage in education and training to gain important skills for a better future.

“The project has different components which have been carefully and intentionally designed to support youth NEET, This includes not only the two pathways which these 40 young people will undertake but also structured internship, work readiness training and learning modules exploring key themes of human rights and social inclusion”, added Dr Alependava.

Also speaking during the launch, Aotearoa New Zealand High Commissioner to Solomon Islands Jonathan Schwass sincerely commended the launch of the project and added that New Zealand recognises the role of young people as future leaders and change-makers in Solomon Islands and is proud to be supporting SPC in implementing the project.

Meanwhile, the pilot project is currently being implemented in Solomon Islands and Tonga with the intention of expanding to other other Pacific Island Countries.