More than 100 youths from the Ra province had an opportunity to meet Government officials during the Ra Youth Stakeholders Forum at the Ra Provincial Compound in Nanukuloa this week.
The 130 participants were youth representatives from the 83 villages and 20 districts within the province.
The forum, organised by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, was aimed at bringing together youths, youth workers, youth co-ordinators and all stakeholders to discuss how best to assist and improve the lives of youths living in Ra.
The ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Josefa Sania, while officially opening the forum said it was an opportune time for the youths to get informed of broad plans and initiatives that Government had in place for our young people and how well they could access these initiatives and benefit from them.
“This forum is also aimed at giving clear directions to youths on how best they can utilise the abundant resources around them in order to flag the existence of poverty, youth related social problems and boost their participation in economic development activities,” Mr. Sania said.
He said the Youth Stakeholders Forum was part of the Ministry’s Annual Corporate Plan, however, the Ra province was chosen for the first time to streamline their focus to the rural youths that were often neglected.
“We also found that in the past when youth forums were held at divisional level, the information was not passed on well to youths at grassroots level by those that represented the provinces to the forum,” Mr Sania said.
Sakenasa Salabogi, youth president of the Nawairuku Youth Club from the district of Nalawa, said the one-day forum gave them a chance to connect with the ministry and the services it offered.
Ulaiasi Galiva, uouth president of Saioko Youth Club from the district of Nakorotubu-i-Wai thanked government for realising the need and importance of assisting youths.
Sanaila Vunisa, youth president of Burelevu Youth Club from the district of Saivou said they learned new things that would help develop youth groups and its members.