Seminars target village women

YOUTH-LINK, a community-based organisation in Madang, has expanded its workshops into remote villages. 
The workshops were developed to empower people to improve their lives as well as the communities they lived in. 
They focused on women to provide training on basic book-keeping to help them better manage their family finances. 
Initially, the workshops were organised in proper conference facilities in the urban areas.
Women from throughout the province and from as far as Raicoast District attended.
“We soon realised that the cost of transport was an issue, as well as their families were finding it difficult without them,” Youth-Link said. 
The organisation decided to take the training to the women in villages. 
This also enabled the organisation to involve the host villages in the programme. 
“We conducted our first training in Kesup village which was a huge success. 
“It was a humbling experience to witness the effect the training had on their lives and the tears shed when they each received their first certificate of achievement,” Youth-Link said.
After the graduation ceremony, the women performed a short play to illustrate the typical role they played in the village – from gardening, fetching water and cooking to how the training had affected their lives.
They felt empowered and showed self confidence.