Youth development key to vision

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Thuresday 12th January 2012

By SHIRLYN BELDEN
INVESTING in youths to achieve their vision is good because it realises the Vision 2050, National Youth Commissioner Johnson Hebe said yesterday.
Hebe thanked the Paya Community Development Association of Tambul-Nebilyer district, Western Highlands, for its services in helping youths become self-reliant and taking the lead in community development in their area.
The association has been supporting youths in the
area since its inception in 2009 by giving them loans to establish small income generating businesses that can support and improve their lives.
Hebe said the youths were now focused on improving their lives through self-help projects and it was a good indication of development.
“I must laud the association for the lead in investing in the youths by drawing a ward development plan, which most areas in Papua New Guinea did not have.”
The association has been lending K500 to K1,000 to individuals and K1,000 to K2,000 to groups for business projects.
The youths are engaged in agriculture and livestock businesses and have been repaying loans with the proceeds from their production.
Paya Community Development Association president Pym Mamind said “the aim of the initiative is to promote self-reliance, ownership in development and improving the living standard in the rural communities” .