Foundation targets youth development

Normal, Sports
Source:

The National- Thursday, February 17, 2011

THE newly-formed Southern Highlands Community Empowerment Foundation (SHCEF) is confident of  developing youths for social development in the province.
Head of the foundation and former kickboxing champion Stanley Nandex said this during the opening of the Aiya Sports Association in Kagua district, Southern Highlands, recently.
Nandex said sports was the way forward for social development and leaders in the province had not given priority to engage youths through sports and other positive activities to occupy them so they could contribute positively to the community.
He said law and order and the mentality of the people in the province were frightening and could affect any developments aspects including LNG project.
Nandex, who is employed by Clough Curtain Joint Venture (CCJV) as a security coordinator, also assisting community projects in the Highlands Highway.
He said youths were the source of problems in the province and government and LNG development partners needed to focus on creating a positive pathway for youths to be engaged and change their mindset so they could take ownership of developments.
Nandex said the new foundation was focused on sports so people could engage themselves in worthwhile activities.
“If you can respect yourself, you will respect others and this is very basic but it has to start somewhere,” he said.
Since Nandex was engaged with CCJV eight months ago he has assisted in the formation of 10 sports associations throughout the province in Upper Mendi, Lower Mendi, Poroma, Aiya and Ialibu-Pangia and now moving towards Kutubu, Nipa and the Hela region.