Three youth members from a rural village in Tewae-Siassi district of Morobe Province departed for New Zealand this afternoon.
They are part of the PNG contingent of fruit pickers under the Pacific Labour Mobility and the Seasonal Workers Program.
Back at their vilage they are subsistence farmers and part-time labourers at the Sialum Cattle Ranch.
The trio will be in New Zealand for 6 months and are looking forward to learning new skills and improving their lives upon returning next year.
Their 6-month stint was arranged under an agreement with their local community. This will see portions of their salaries remitted directly to a community bank account to fund three proposed community-based impact projects in Sialum.
Community leader Joe Tieng called on the Departments of Immigration and Labor to ensure the Seasonal Workers Program focuses on less developed communities to benefit more disadvantaged youths.
