At least more than 50 Youths from one of the notorious settlement in Lae City has come together to form an Association to have a voice within their community as well as participate in the development of Lae City, Morobe Province and Papua New Guinea.
The 2 Mile Bee-side Youths Association from Zero and One Block within 2 Mile, Ward 4 of Lae Urban Council is a unique organization comprises of unemployed youths who wanted to venture into earning an honest living as well as coming out of Lawlessness – especially crimes, drugs and alcohol production and consumption.
‘Bee-Side’ means Bugandi Side or settlement alongside the side fence of Bugandi Secondary School perimeter from the Miles.
Team leader Mr. Okam Gedisa said very little attention has been given to the youths of settlement especially within 2 Mile area.
“Many of these youths are born and raised here in this settlement and they have observe the development without participating in it.” Mr. Gedisa said.
He also stress that O’Neill – Abel government educational intervention in education namely the Tuition Fee Free (TFF) is a very good initiatives for the settlers which many have now been able to put their children to schools and are surprise about the positive results their students have performed. However, he said it is those youths who misses out on similar opportunities because in their time education was expensive.
The 2 Mile Bee-Side Youths Association was formed to provide and facilitate opportunities as well as providing youths an avenue and platform so they can showcase their potential and skills to harness positive citizenship outcomes.
Their main aim is to change the mindset that settlements are the main contributors to urban problems. They would like to see Bee Side communities as well as 2 mile and miles as a whole a Resilience Urban Settlements in Lae Urban and for making Bee – Side Youth Association a model for other youths within Lae Urban Council in Lae District.
The organization primary objective was to help youths excel, encourage awareness activities and take initiatives to ensure there is law and order, more education and healthy community population, improved standard of living, care and protection of our natural build environment to ensure a good community life style.
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2 Mile Bee-Side Youths Association
P. O. Box 180, Lae 411
Morobe Province
Papua New Guinea
Mobile Phone: +675 79390326
Meeting with Association President Mr. Okam Gedisa.
Reuben Mete 