Over 100 participants from several communities took part in a series of workshops delivered by the Apunepara Ha’amwaora Natural Resource Association (AHNRA), implemented by the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) and funded by New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT).
Participants from Sarawasi, Kelinge, Sawarokau and Wea joined sessions facilitated by the Ministry of Women, Youth and Children’s Affairs (MWYCA), which focused on strengthening understanding of rights, protection and available support services.
The livelihood component brought together participants for hands-on demonstrations in beekeeping, fish farming and piggery, supported by facilitators from the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Fisheries. Participants noted that the practical approach aligned well with their existing projects and helped them plan improvements to their household and community-based activities.
Further training was held with participants from Suluoaoa, Keligne, Sarawasi and Waitoto, focusing on small-business leadership, financial literacy and basic enterprise development. Many shared that the sessions helped build their confidence in managing income-generating activities and provided a clearer understanding of how to strengthen their livelihoods.
Across all workshops, participants expressed high satisfaction and appreciated the interactive facilitation, the relevance of the topics to their daily responsibilities and the opportunity to learn alongside peers from neighbouring communities.