USP Graduates First In Region
‘I will take all these learnings and somehow replicate this into our existing training which includes nutrition and food security for close to 33,000 members of the Teitoiningaina who are females - 18 years and over’
Fifteen scholarship recipients who graduated with a seafood micro-qualification have become a first within the Pacific. The graduation took place for the first University of the South Pacific (USP) Pacific-European Union Marine Partnership Programme (PEUMP) scholarship recipients on Friday.
The award recipients graduated at the USP Technical and Further Education (TAFE) Campus at Walu Bay, Suva, on June 26.
One of the recipients of the scholarship is the Director of the Catholic Women’s League (Teitoiningaina) for the Diocese of Tarawa and Nauru, Ioanna Nabura.
Ms Nabura said despite the border restrictions in place, she strived to attain knowledge.
“I will take all these learnings and somehow replicate this into our existing training which includes nutrition and food security for close to 33,000 members of the Teitoiningaina who are females - 18 years and over,” Ms Nabura said.
“Seafood is our livelihood, our food and economy and it dawned on me as to my purpose of being in Fiji.”
Vice Chancellor and President of the University of the South Pacific Professor Pal Ahluwalia said he was proud to present the first cohort of scholarship recipients with their awards.
Professor Ahluwalia told the recipients: “You have made history in the Pacific; in fact in the world, as you are the first to have attained this micro qualification.”
Nine of the recipients were aspiring women entrepreneurs.
Ambassador of the European Union for the Pacific Sujiro Seam said oceans are more than a blessing during the COVID-19 crisis as families are struggling to put food on the table.
“With the COVID-19 crisis, at a time when families struggle to put food on the table, oceans are more than ever a blessing for the Pacific.
“As part of its engagement on oceans in the region, the EU focuses on sustainable management of marine resources and capacity building for coastal communities, with a focus on artisans and small entrepreneurs,” the ambassador said.
The recipients graduated with a micro-qualification in Establishing and Operating a Small Scale Seafood Business.
Award recipients included ocean artisans, sea food entrepreneurs, seaweed and aquaculture farmers.
The five-year programme is funded by the European Union (EUR 35M) and the government of Sweden (EUR 10M). The USP is one of four key implementing partners.