The Bougainville Innovation Hubs will provide a platform where women and youth from Bougainville can begin their entrepreneurial journey, improve their financial literacy, and look to resource themselves with the necessary knowledge and skills towards participating in a digital and technologically focused future. These skills and knowledge are the necessary precursors to developing and sustaining viable micro, small and medium enterprises across Bougainville.

This follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Buka on Tuesday, July 19.

In its initial roll out stage, more than 300 women and youth are expected to benefit from education, mentorship, and life skills training through three Innovation Hubs to be built in Buka, Arawa and Buin.

This project is funded by the Government of Japan through a triparty agreement between the Government of Papua New Guinea, ABG and UNDP and is a core part of the autonomous region’s efforts to sustain peace through economic empowerment.

The innovation hubs will support early-stage entrepreneurs through education, mentorship, and infrastructure to help accelerate business ideas. They will support service delivery related to entrepreneurship and catalyse economic empowerment for the Bougainville people and communities, women and youth in particular “said Dirk Wagener, UNDP Resident Representative

Mr Wagener joined ABG President Hon. Ishmael Toroama, Chief Secretary Shadrach Himata, several cabinet ABG ministers and members of the Bougainville House of Representatives in the official signing ceremony at the Buka Polytechnic College at Hutjena in front of jubilant crowd to mark the start of the project.

ABG President Ishmael Toroama thanked the United Nations and the Government of Japan for their continued support to peace building on Bougainville and said that a priority focus for the ABG is to develop Bougainville’s economy through a practical approach.

“I am aware that our efforts to promote economic growth cannot be limited to local knowledge and experiences alone. In today’s global community, there is a need for information sharing in all aspects of development,” President Toroama said.

“The concept of having innovation hubs situated in each of our regions will provide our people with the necessary skills and knowledge through the use of technology. This will enable them to keep track of their supply chains as well as improving their financial capacity as entrepreneurs.”

The Bougainville innovation hubs will allow women, youth, students, others to have access to skills related financial literacy, entrepreneurship, digital, taxation, marketing, and technological curricula.

While construction of the hubs is on-going, there is an opportunity to deliver and provide education and training activities aligned to the needs of Bougainville communities.

The signing also coincided with an open day providing an opportunity for communities to meet with facilitators and get an initial peek into how the education and training will be delivered over the next six months.

The Bougainville Innovation Hubs will provide a platform where women and youth from Bougainville can begin their entrepreneurial journey, improve their financial literacy, and look to resource themselves with the necessary knowledge and skills towards participating in a digital and technologically focused future. These skills and knowledge are the necessary precursors to developing and sustaining viable micro, small and medium enterprises across Bougainville.

This follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Buka on Tuesday, July 19.

In its initial roll out stage, more than 300 women and youth are expected to benefit from education, mentorship, and life skills training through three Innovation Hubs to be built in Buka, Arawa and Buin.

This project is funded by the Government of Japan through a triparty agreement between the Government of Papua New Guinea, ABG and UNDP and is a core part of the autonomous region’s efforts to sustain peace through economic empowerment.

The innovation hubs will support early-stage entrepreneurs through education, mentorship, and infrastructure to help accelerate business ideas. They will support service delivery related to entrepreneurship and catalyse economic empowerment for the Bougainville people and communities, women and youth in particular “said Dirk Wagener, UNDP Resident Representative

Mr Wagener joined ABG President Hon. Ishmael Toroama, Chief Secretary Shadrach Himata, several cabinet ABG ministers and members of the Bougainville House of Representatives in the official signing ceremony at the Buka Polytechnic College at Hutjena in front of jubilant crowd to mark the start of the project.

ABG President Ishmael Toroama thanked the United Nations and the Government of Japan for their continued support to peace building on Bougainville and said that a priority focus for the ABG is to develop Bougainville’s economy through a practical approach.

“I am aware that our efforts to promote economic growth cannot be limited to local knowledge and experiences alone. In today’s global community, there is a need for information sharing in all aspects of development,” President Toroama said.

“The concept of having innovation hubs situated in each of our regions will provide our people with the necessary skills and knowledge through the use of technology. This will enable them to keep track of their supply chains as well as improving their financial capacity as entrepreneurs.”

The Bougainville innovation hubs will allow women, youth, students, others to have access to skills related financial literacy, entrepreneurship, digital, taxation, marketing, and technological curricula.

While construction of the hubs is on-going, there is an opportunity to deliver and provide education and training activities aligned to the needs of Bougainville communities.

The signing also coincided with an open day providing an opportunity for communities to meet with facilitators and get an initial peek into how the education and training will be delivered over the next six months.