Youth take creative path in the fight against corruption

Caption:   Participants of the Inspire Creative Change Workshop, displaying their certificates.

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, April 20, 2014 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)

WHILE students all over the country were enjoying their first term holidays, a group of 15 students from schools in Port Moresby underwent a three day workshop on creative techniques to employ in the fight against corruption.

Hosted by YACA (Youth Against Corruption Association), the workshop was aimed at YACA members in anti-corruption awareness through creative and smart techniques.

As members of the youth organisation, run under Transparency International PNG (TIPNG), they covered an array of techniques like documentary making, public speaking, role-play, and literary arts.

Executive Director for TIPNG, Emily George Taule, thanked the students for their commitment to the cause by giving up their holiday to be a part of the movement.

Participants presented items for the guests that attended, from passionate spoken word poems on corruption, to role play acts that showed corruption in various levels of society.

Chairman of TIPNG Lawrence Stephens hailed the students for their efforts telling them that giving up their holidays was a generous thing they could do for the fight against corruption.

“Watching and listening to what you have been telling us- you know better than anybody what corruption is,” Lawrence said.

“You have the personal capacity to make the difference that we have been talking about.”

“When you don’t follow the rules and when you can accept a gift from people who are trying to influence you, you’ll start the country on that downhill slide.”

“It starts with a few kina, and they are the thing you people can see through what you have shown us today.”

“The creativity was great, the poetry was great, and your effort is great.”

Participants were from Salvation Army High School, Sogeri National High, Kopkop College, Gordon Secondary, Port Moresby National High, Jubilee Secondary, Gerehu Secondary, and representatives from the Urban Youth Employment program, who all received certificates upon completion of the workshop.