Alice has certificate in motor mechanic

By ELIAS LARI
MOTHER of six Alice Agobe, from Hela, was the only female who graduated with certificate in motor mechanic at the Hela Hewate Multi Skills Training Institute last Friday in Tari.
Though many women considered taking up this male-dominated course, few opted for it but Agobe, 35, from Hewate village in the Tari-Pori electorate, decided to give it a crack.
Agobe dropped out of grade 10 in 2000, becoming a housewife and mother and believing that was her future.
However, after struggles and pain in depending on her husband’s income, Agobe felt that she had to do something to change that for the sake of the famly.
In 2016 she applied to the Hela Hewate Multi Skills Training Institute in Tari and was accepted to do motor mechanics.
She completed it the following year and so decided to spend another on schooling – taking up basic computing at the same institution.
She completed that last year.
Last Friday she was among 101 students who graduated with certificates.
Agobe received two certificates – motor mechanic and basic computing. The institution informed Agobe that she was accepted to further her National Certificate (NC) studies at the Mt Hagen Technical College.
She described her achievement as “a miracle from God”.
“I want to encourage every mother and young women who are at home to look for such opportunities because God created man and women the same.
“I’m happy that finally my dream for the last six years has come to a reality,” she said.
“Many women nowadays have forgotten that they are important and can live a life without depending heavily on others or even their husbands,” she said.
Agobe said she wanted to continue her studies.
She was thankful to the Hela Hewate Multi Skills Training Institute for giving her a second chance in life.
Founding principal of the Institute David Angobe said that his vision to establish the institution was to help the unfortunate because education was a right for people. He said Hela, despite having so much bad publicity, could change and promote the province for positive living.

“ I want to encourage every mother and young women who are at home to look for such opportunities because God created man and women the same. I’m happy that finally my dream for the last six years has come to a reality.”

Angobe said the institute was level-four and it also offered FODE studies used for upgrading marks as well graduate pupils for grade 12 certificate.
He said to help people like Agobe, the institution had to struggle with farming and fishery to maintain its operations.
“We are here to serve and support people who feel that they do not have a hope of facing a new life,” he said.
Angobe said his plan was to extend the institution and make sure that those who had lost a chance could come and make a fresh start.
“If people like Alice can make her up from a housewife to a mechanic and computer person, then why not you?
“It all depends on how you plan your life because a hard-working person will always have food on the table,” Angobe said.
“If you want to make a change in your life, then there is hope and it is about time you get committed to make your way up.”