TYEE Short Film was produced to mark the celebration of the Fourth Year Anniversary of the organisation and the Official Launch of its new facilities, Youth Tech Incubator Centre (YTIC) and Tonga Youth Market Connect (TYMC), November 10th, 2018.

​A short film locally produced in Tonga by Talakite Production and proudly supported and sponsored by the Tonga Ministry of Internal Affairs - Youth Division 2018 and Digicel Group Tonga.  A film that tells the story about how this small not for profit youth support service NGO known as Tonga Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship Inc. (TYEE) has grown from strength to strength in four years now and counting in the Kingdom of Tonga. 

TYEE is working with a mission - to bridge the gap by building the capacity of the youth to embark on their journey, to make a life they aspire to live through appropriate and relevant connections to work-readiness and life-skills training opportunities, employment opportunities, creating employment opportunities through entrepreneurship (and ICT), and mentorship support.

Ask TYEE how you as an individual or as an organisation can get involved and be part of this great cause and change-makers' platform to give our youth hope for a better tomorrow. For more information about TYEE and to contact TYEE, please visit their website: https://www.tyeetonga.org/.

​We look forward to hearing about your interests. Help us to spread the words and our story.

"Mr. Filisione Manufekai is the BSP Employee Of the Month for October, 2018",  BSP Business Manager, Salesi Fineanganofo advised the Office of TYEE.

Filisione Manufekai will receive $500 cash and will go into the draw for the BSP Tonga Employee of the Year 2018.

"Credit to TYEE for your hardwork, please pass on our thank you to your staff!", Fineanganofo commented

ABOUT MR. MANUFEKAI

Filisione Manufekai registered with TYEE Programme to look for a job at the age of 20 in early August 2018.  He lives in Ha'asini with his family. He studies part time at the University of the South Pacific (USP), 'Atele.  He graduated with a National Form Seven Certificate from Tonga College, 'Atele.  He was chosen as School Prefect 2017 and he was awarded 2nd Place in Form Six Accounting.  Filisione has always wanted to work at a bank when he was at school.  Filisione started with the BSP Bank at the end of August 2018.

ABOUT BSP BANK, TONGA
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Bank South Pacific (BSP) is an iconic and unique bank in Papua New Guinea and the Pacific, recognised for its strong commitment to the region and its Melanesian uniqueness.

BSP Bank works with a vision to be the leading financial service provider in their chosen markets, helping customers, staff, shareholders and communities prosper!  Learn more about the BSP Bank Tonga by visiting their website here!

TYEE would like to thank the BSP Bank General Manager, Business Manager and Team for their continued support and partnership for the Youth Development Programme in Youth Employment.

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.