Three youth winners receive $5000 each
THREE winners of the Youth Fest 2019 Innovation Business Solution competition held at the AUSAID Lecture Theatre at the University of the South Pacific on Monday received $5000 each.
The winners were part of the Youth Fest 2019 program which is one of the events held at USP marking International World Youth Day.
Ben Morrison (founder of Inspire Fiji), Dwain Qalovaki (founder of Biomass Efficient Stoves) and Emma Newland (founder of Lalai and Sprout) were the three winners.
Twelve young people from around Fiji presented their innovative ideas in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal to compete for the $F5000 prize sponsored by UNDP.
Holding such events is important in empowering youths with innovative business ideas, USP vice-chancellor Prof Pal Ahluwalia said.
“There’s a lot of energy in such spaces, it’s really spaces which allow people to interact, get some advice in different ways, think out of the box and get some help,” he said.
Mr Morrison echoed the same sentiments made by Prof Ahluwalia.
“I think it is very important that more organisation, government ministries support the ideas that young people have.
“I believe we’re going to have a brighter future because of the innovation, creativity coming out from young people,” he said.
Act It Network founder and co-ordinator Elisha Bono and her team came up with the idea of the Youth Fest innovative competition this year.
“In 2017 there were a whole bunch of ideas that our group members came up with for international youth day and we decided to have a youth fest,” she said.
The Youth Fest program was held from August 6 to 12.
Act It Network in partnership with United Nations Development Fund, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism and USP made the event possible.