Nuku'alofa, 10 November 2018 - TYEE marked it's Fourth Year Anniversary with the Official Launch of the first youth technology entrepreneurship hub, YTIC, and Tonga youth market connect hub, TYMC at House of Tonga Building, Mailetaha, Nuku'alofa.  The hubs will provide technology solutions to some of the challenges and barriers facing the youth of Tonga. The hubs' are dedicated to invest in the young generation, its future leaders and new enterprises, by developing their ICT and entrepreneurship skills for business and attracting business mentors, social investors and business incubators who can support youth enterprises and their development. 

The Guest of Honour, New Zealand High Commissioner to Tonga, Her Excellency Tiffany Babington, and alongside H.E, the Estate Holder & Noble of the Realm and Member of Parliament, Hon. Lord Fakafanua  joined by the President of the Free Church of Tonga, Rev. Semisi Fonua to celebrate another TYEE milestone event.

The theme for TYEE's Fourth Year Anniversary is: “Promoting and Celebrating Youth Employment, Technology and Entrepreneurship.” As a growing organisation, we hope to continue to develop our two broad objectives of promoting youth employment and youth entrepreneurship – with a particular focus on Information Communications and Technology (ICT).
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​“We want to give a "one-stop-shop platform" where youth can unlock their potential by coming up with ideas on tech entrepreneurship,”  explains Lusia Latu-Jones,  Founder & President of TYEE.

The launch of the two hubs marks the next step of the journey at TYEE and fulfills a desire to entrench a technology culture among Tonga’s youth - who represent about 32 per cent of the country’s population, while supporting the economic transformation of Tonga. 

The hubs will focus on three key areas; skills and capability development, digital ecosystem building, and facilitating links with Tonga, regional and international businesses. This will help to build skilled, entrepreneurial and networked populations which will create jobs and address digital inequality.

The focus of the YTIC is also on preparedness for the“International Computer Driver License (ICDL)”. This is a globally recognized standard of competency that learners can study for and take online assessments in order to gain vital qualifications. Currently there is a no official ICDL testing center available in Tonga. 

The hubs offer young entrepreneurs a platform for technological innovations and collaborations, including ICT skills for business, entrepreneurship business training, mentorship, access to computers and internet connectivity, project evaluation, and support during the incubation stages of their start-ups. The hubs will also offer research and working space for young people and youth entrepreneurs keen on using technology to drive business. The hubs will also help to harness the potential of developing markets, boosting prosperity locally, regionally and internationally for Tonga young entrepreneurs through increased trade and investment.

The two hubs will look for more qualified tech companies not only in Tonga but also internationally to occupy the space, provide industry knowledge, technical expertise and create synergies. Events and industry-specific programs will be organised at the hubs for youth and young entrepreneurs, keeping with the mandate of building competitive, scalable and environmentally impactful solutions.

The two hubs will create positive change locally by supporting job creation, improving skills and boosting innovation partnerships, whilst strengthening our own emerging digital economy even further.

“We believe it is time for Tonga's youth to come to the fore with their ideas, claim and invest in their future,” Latu-Jones notes.

Latu-Jones says their motivation comes from the desire to nurture and bring new ideas to life. She also mentions that the initiative was inspired by experiences in Asia, New Zealand, Australia and Europe, which have thriving technology innovation hubs.

Latu-Jones and TYEE Team look forward to collaborating with existing partners, corporate sponsors, global networks of like-minded technology entrepreneurs and other technology hubs. They also plan to encourage the contribution and participation of youth to reach not only Tonga's youth national strategic plan priority areas in (i) job creations, (ii) skills development, but also the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“We want to make sure we combine our agenda with the global SDGs. If you look at the goals, each of them has an effect on Tonga.  For example, SDGs one, four and eight, which is to end poverty, provide quality education and tackle youth unemployment through creating decent work for economic growth are areas that we as innovation hubs of youth and young entrepreneurs, would want to address,” Latu-Jones explains.

Targeting digitally empowered youth, YTIC & TYMC hubs bank on the fertile ground for technology and the widespread use of mobile telephony in Tonga, to achieve its objectives.

About 93 per cent of the entire population has access to mobile services. That means we are already dealing with technology in one way or another.  It’s an inescapable force that we have to reckon with,” Latu-Jones says.

“ According to the APNIC report :

• Mobile coverage across Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu has jumped from less than half of the population in 2005 to 93 per cent of the population in 2014.
• The cost of mobile calls has declined by one third between 2005 and 2014.
• The percentage of cell phones in Pacific households has risen from 49 per cent in 2007 to 93 per cent in 2014.
• Recent connectivity to submarine cables has resulted in an explosion of capacity. International Internet bandwidth jumped over 1,500 per cent between 2007 and 2014 rising from fewer than 100 Mbit/s to over 1 Gbit/s (excluding Fiji, which had already connected to submarine cable in 2000). 

“We believe that technology can bring a solution to the country’s multifaceted challenges,” she adds.

The United Nations recognises the role of youth in promoting initiatives and innovation projects that support social development, and encourages creativity and innovative ideas that open new avenues to solving some of Tonga and the global problems.

The event was celebrated in two parts, first with the official programme of Launching the two new hubs at House of Tonga, followed by the second part - a small cocktail reception with a Special Auction held at the Waterfront Lodge hosted by Liz Cowley and her staff. 

​Amongst the attendance at the event, were Representatives from TYEE's Partner Organisations and Corporate Sponsors, Director of Youth Division - Ministry of Internal Affairs, Employers, Board members of TYEE and staff.

50 Cupcakes were kindly donated by My Cake House by L&H, also a Board member of TYEE to celebrate TYEE's 4th Year Anniversary. 

All auction donations and funds will be used to support TYEE's platform and resources for the Youth Development Programmes -  youth employment, youth technology and youth entrepreneurship plus the support to make a real impact and difference in other people's lives.

Proudly Donated by the Lord Speaker of Tonga Parliament, HON. LORD FAKAFANUA.
Reserve Price T$2,000.00
Sold to the Highest Bidder:
Mr. Craig Brown, CTB Limited, NZ
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TYEE thank Lord Fakafanua for his sponsorship and continued support, and to the winning bidder!

Included in the Special Auction were Sponsored Items kindly donated by TROW Group, NZ.

• A signed Auckland Nines Event Jersey

Reserve Price T$300.00
Sold to the Highest Bidder:
Lord Fakafanua

• A signed Auckland Nines Rugby Ball

Reserve Price T$100.00
Sold to the Highest Bidder:
Rev. Semisi Fonua

TYEE thank TROW Group, NZ for their continued support and donations, and to the winning bidders!

Included in the Special Auction was Sponsored Item kindly donated by SELEKA INTERNATIONAL ART SOCIETY INITIATIVE.

• A beautiful piece of art work post cyclone Gita

Reserve Price T$100.00
Sold to the Highest Bidder:
Zeyn, Scenic Hotel Tonga

TYEE thank Seleka Art (SIASI) for their kind donation and support, and to the winning bidder!

TYEE Board, Management and Staff would like to take this opportunity to convey their sincere heartfelt gratitude to the Guest of Honour, HE Tiffany Babington.

• Noble of the Realm & Lord Speaker of Parliament, Honorable Lord Fakafanua.
• President of the Free Church of Tonga, Rev. Semisi Fonua.
• To all our Valued Partner Organisations, Corporate Sponsors
• All Sponsors of the Special Auction Items and the Winning Bidders.
• Ministry of Internal Affairs - Youth Division 2018.
• Tonga Broadcasting Commission (TBC)
• My Cake House by L & H
• Ancient Tonga 
• SCH Lawyers
• House of Tonga
• Waterfront Restaurant & Lodge
• 12 Timers String Band
• TROW SFL Groups
• Seleka International Art Studio Initiative
• Leata Boutique Fashion & Gift Shop
• Kakala Skincare 'o Tonga
• Tonga Power Ltd  & Nuku'alofa Network Upgrade Project
• Mr. Craig Brown, CTB Limited, New Zealand.
• Nishi Trading Ltd
• Scenic Hotel Tonga
• Digicel  Group Tonga
• VSA & The Tindall Foundation New Zealand
• Tonga Skills
• All Heart NZ Foundation
• Mt Roskill Primary School, Auckland
• Magic Signs
• Talakite Productions
• Tonga Youth Leaders
• Spare Parts Zone Ltd
• Tonga Airport Ltd
• CC Plumbing Solutions & General Work
• Tony Bouldier, A2B Consulting, New Zealand

​To everyone who was involved in making this event a success and achievable. 
Malo 'aupito for your kind support and we look forward to meeting with you again soon.

PRESS RELEASE

The Corporate Fundraiser Dinner was raised in support of TYEE’s centres for Youth Development Programmes.

ANCIENT TONGA, FANGALOTO – SEPTEMBER 27, 2018.

Over 150 people attended the first TYEE Corporate Fundraiser Dinner on Thursday, 27th September 2018 in support of TYEE’s facility for the Youth Development Programmes, which provides youth school leavers aged 18 to 29 with the relevant support services and opportunities for skills development, employment, entrepreneurship and mentorship support in Tonga.  Thanks to your generous sponsorship, we were able to raise funds to support our centres for youth development programmes – YTIC and TYMC – and raise awareness among corporate sponsors of our objectives. 

Thanks to our combined efforts, we were able to host over 150 people, who purchased tickets to the dinner, or provided and purchased auction or raffle items.  We have also garnered support from businesses as well as individuals for future initiatives of TYEE. 
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This event would not have been a success without the generous support you provided to us.  We deeply appreciate the willingness with which you have and continue to support our efforts to provide young people with an opportunity to gain meaningful employment, or to establish small businesses of their own.

​The online and live auctions incorporated nine unique items which were proudly sponsored by Corporate Sponsors from:

​which we sold a total of eight items during the event. Winning bidders of these items spent some money on them which helped raise money for the worthy cause. There was some good ole fashioned bidding experience taking place. The auction items and the Winning Bidders can be viewed online here. 

We sold several of the raffle tickets multiple times for fifteen sponsored prizes which were kindly donated by the Corporate Sponsors and individuals from: 

Attendees were pleased to also can drop their business cards in a bowl for the Mystery Prize Draw kindly sponsored by Roxanne, Payless Store. The lucky draw and the Mystery Prize went to the BSP Bank business card.  The Sponsors Raffle Prizes and more details can be viewed online here.

“We enjoy including the Corporate sponsored items in our live auction for a several reasons: it enhances our auction with unique experiences, allows us to sell them multiple times which generates more income and helps free up our staff to focus on other areas”. 

TYEE was first established in 2014 as a registered not for profit youth support service organisation.
The need to establish the organisation arose from the high rate of youth unemployment in Tonga and the increasing number of school-leavers each year who were unable to secure a job.  We work with the aim to help young school-leavers age 18 to 29.

Today, our youth comprise a large proportion of the nation’s population. However, the simple fact is, there are not enough jobs in Tonga to cater for our growing population and not everyone who completes their education will get a job.

Despite this challenge, it has been our mission to assist our youth to find employment.  For young entrepreneurs who are interested in establishing their own businesses, our goal is to empower youth with relevant information and support to help them get started.  Read more.

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MEDIA CONTACT
Lusia Latu-Jones
E: lusia.latu@tyeetonga.org M: +676 841-1791

Photographs courtesy of Mr. Robin Payounghusband of Martian Maroon Photography

TYEE is a not for profit youth support service organisation in Tonga is working with the aim to help the young school-leavers ages 18-29 in our commitment to addressing youth unemployment. TYEE is also working towards developing a sustainable organisation in Tonga for the youth, as future leaders and champions of Tonga.  

With your kind support through volunteering, sponsorship and donations TYEE can continue to serve our youth and deliver our youth development programmes, while providing and developing the platforms for youth opportunities and support.  Together - we can continue to place our participating youth into jobs and/or create jobs and income being youth entrepreneurs. 

Fundraising is one of our activities that we host each year to assist us in funding the youth platforms and programmes. This year, we are seeking support to raise funds in support of our centres for the youth development programmes, which includes the soon to be launched Youth Technology Incubators Centre (YTIC) and Tonga Youth Market Connect (TYMC).  

We will be hosting a Corporate Fundraiser Dinner on:  
Date:       Thursday, 27th September 2018 
Venue:   Ancient Tonga, Fangaloto  
Time:      6.30pm to 11pm.  

The tickets are $45 per person. This will include a buffet dinner, non-alcoholic drinks, entertainment and a raffle. 

We warmly invite you to join us and kindly seek your support in donating some items for the raffle/auctions on the night. This could include anything you would like to donate or give away and incorporate into our gift packs during the event. In turn, we would promote your company as an official sponsor of TYEE.

If your company is interested in purchasing tickets or donating to our raffle/auction, please kindly contact us on email at hello@tyeetonga.org or call Lola Liava’a Tonga on (676) 887-1793 or Lusia Latu-Jones on (676) 841-1791.

We appreciate your time and generosity and look forward to seeing you at our event.

Monday 3rd September 2018: TYEE together with the TMHDA hosted a group of third year undergraduate students from the Bachelor of Social Work programme within the Faculty of Education and Social Work at University of Auckland.  A few of their cohort students and faculty staff are visiting the Kingdom of Tonga from 30th August to 5th September 2018.  The group consists of approximately 10 students and three Senior Staff from the faculty with the support of Faculty Staff, as well as the Associate Dean for International, Dr Marek Tesar and Associate Professor for Pacific Studies, Professor Damon Salesa. 

The initiative to visit The Kingdom of Tonga has been student driven, it is to enhance their learning and knowledge by  meeting with individuals and community groups from both the public and private sectors and NGOs in relation to delivery of services that align with the field of social work.

The exposure and cultural immersion at grass roots level with a population group that represents a high proportion of service users within social services in New Zealand, would be a great learning and cultural exchange opportunity for our social work cohort, to better assist and apply theories and models for appropriate interventions. 

Their visit to Tonga is timely, that student participants have recently completed 12 weeks of placement with various NGO's that deliver services ranging from Mental Health, Child and Family Protection, Elderly support and advocate services, Domestic violence, LGBTQI community, to name but a few.  In their last year of study in 2019 for the BSW programme, students will be in practicum within the diverse areas of the field within the Public Sector, this will be towards the end of the year. 

For Social Workers, it is important for them to ensure that they are well informed in their practice, as students, exposure to as much of their field of practice in the role of advocacy and support for those in need, as well as broadening their impartiality and views through different lenses and contributing to positive change that affect the most vulnerable in our society.

Present at the event was the President of the TMHDA, Mr Leo Hoponoa and members of the TMHDA Board, also TYEE President, Lusia Latu-Jones and Vice-President of TYEE Board, Sela Bloomfield.

Both of the organisations' Presidents; TYEE and TMHDA were presented with Certificates of Appreciation and Thanks accompanied with small gift products of NZ by the Faculty Staff from the Education and Social Work of Auckland University.

TYEE President thanked the group for the opportunity to meet and discuss social issues that matter most to us and its impact on youth work in Tonga.  The visit also enhance the need and interest to foster relevant networks and a closer working relationship between TYEE & TMHDA and the Faculty of Education and Social Work at Auckland University for future collaboration and partnership opportunities.

The event was held at TYEE's new facility, Tonga Youth Market Connect (TYMC) at House of Tonga.

​Tonga Youth Employment & Entrepreneurship Inc. (TYEE) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with SCENIC HOTELS to foster strategic partnership in relation to joint initiatives between the Parties on Wednesday, 22nd August 2018.

The signing of the MOU that took place at the SCENIC HOTELS was officiated by Lusia Latu-Jones, TYEE President and Katie Silcock, General Manager of SCENIC HOTELS in Tonga.

As New Zealand’s largest independently-owned and operated hotel group and prides itself on offering true Kiwi hospitality at each of its eighteen hotels. Located in nine popular regions in New Zealand and two in the South Pacific countries of Tonga and Niue. The agreement aims to build upon the strength of SCENIC HOTEL GROUP expertise in tourism and hospitality and their commitment to offering their clients quality with a genuine sense of Kiwi hospitality working to international standards with a touch of local flair. 

​Based on the shared vision and objectives for the benefit of providing better services for the Youth of Tonga in industry skills training, employment, ICT, entrepreneurship and cultural cooperation, the joint initiatives include provision of conference space and facility for TYEE training, hotel accommodation, TYEE Recruitment Services, project management, marketing and sales services and priority employment placements for TYEE registered youth whose training in Tonga will be substantially supported and funded by SCENIC HOTELS.

Latu-Jones said the agreement signifies the strong commitment of TYEE to embrace local and international partnerships as our objective and provides learning opportunities and employment opportunities for TYEE registered youth in various economic development programs in Tonga. The expansion in international partnerships will indeed pave the way for the development of a local-global youth platform through TYEE's new facility; Youth Tech Incubators Centre (YTIC) and Tonga Youth Market Connect (TYMC) which will admit its first intake of trainees in 2018/2019 training cycle year. 

TYEE is very pleased with their new strategic partnership with SCENIC HOTELS and they thank Katie Silcock and her team for the wonderful opportunity and they look forward to working together in the Parties joint initiatives.

Silcock expressed that SCENIC HOTELS was glad to form a partnership with TYEE under the strong support of the SCENIC HOTEL GROUP in New Zealand. This partnership would not only bring benefits to the Parties and the countries tourism and hospitality culture on to an international stage, but also support the development of youth learning, training and employment in both Tonga and New Zealand.

TYEE a not for profit youth support service organisation in Tonga established in 2014 is always looking for new prospects, new professional partners as SCENIC HOTELS.  It will enable us to collaborate and work together to achieve our objectives, deliver solutions and benefits in regards to youth industry skills training, employment and entrepreneurship with ICT opportunities and youth relevant career networks.

The first overseas addition to our Scenic family of hotels makes for a wonderful gateway to the Kingdom of Tonga.  Scenic Hotel Tonga is located at Fua'amotu close to the island's secluded eastern beaches. 
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Scenic Hotel Group is committed to providing quality, comfortable accommodation that represents excellent value for leisure and business travellers from around New Zealand and around the world. We extend genuine friendly Kiwi hospitality to every guest who comes through our doors.
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​For more information about SCENIC HOTEL GROUP, Tonga, New Zealand and Niue, visit their website!

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With two locations in the South Island of New Zealand, and one in Tonga, the team at Amaia Luxury Spa are dedicated to giving you a relaxing and rejuvenating experience.
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A superior menu of treatments ranging from Massage Therapy to Manicures and Pedicures will ensure you leave feeling relaxed and revitalised. 

For more information about the Amaia Luxury Spa - visit their website!