TYEE is 3 and Growing!

Tonga Youth Employment & Entrepreneurship Inc. (TYEE), a registered non-profit youth employment and entrepreneurship support service organisation in Tonga celebrated its Third Year Anniversary on Friday 10th November 2017,  at the TYEE Office, Ground Floor, House of Tonga in Mailetaha. 

Rev. Penisimani Tonga from the Tonga Christian Fellowship led the ​event with an opening prayer and a short remark in congratulating the good and the important work of  the organisation to ensure a better and productive future for the youth of Tonga.  "There is hope for the youth in Tonga", said, Rev. Tonga.

Speaking at the event was Keynote Speaker, Mrs. Jessica Afeaki, a youth entrepreneur and Proprietor of Kakala Ltd and Kenani Estate.  Afeaki acknowledged the  role of the  organisation in Tonga and the need to encourage and assist our youth so there is hope for them regardless of their qualification and ability.

Meanwhile Lusia Latu-Jones, TYEE President spoke of the organisation various activities to date with a current registration of over 650 young school leavers seeking employment. Of this number,  over 230 of them we've assisted into jobs in various positions and industries and we would continue to build on that outcome and continue to provide support.  
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TYEE marked and celebrated the Third-Year Anniversary of the organisation with the theme: “Promoting and Celebrating Youth Entrepreneurship.”  The event was also an opportunity to showcase the talent of our youth with fun and career driven “TYEE Youth Market Stalls” – a means by which we are encouraging and training young people to become entrepreneurs as well as to become job creators and income generators within their communities.  Followed by the presentation of the Youth Employer Award of the Year 2017 and the TYEE Youth Q & A Session with 2017 Election Candidates.

The anniversary event was created by youth for the youth and driven by youth.
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​TYEE's anniversary coincides with the Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) 2017. This Global Entrepreneurship Network celebrates 10 years of helping millions of people unleash their ideas to start and scale new businesses through Global Entrepreneurship Week. The campaign began in 2008 with an emphasis on inspiring young people to make their mark and has quickly grown to become a comprehensive effort that engages entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, researchers, support organisations and others collaborating to advance economic growth and innovation in more than 170 countries around the world. 

As a member and participant of the GEW 2017, we were delighted to celebrate our 3rd Year Anniversary to help youth and young entrepreneurs gain the exposure on our anniversary and this global event. 

Present at the anniversary event were Board members and staff of TYEE, youth members and youth entrepreneurs, parents and representatives from youth organisation, ICON, representatives from government departments, diplomatic offices, Tonga Skills, local businesses, 2017 Election Candidates, The Believers and Tutu on the Beach.

2018, TYEE will continue to develop and innovate its youth employment programme including youth with a disability.  We will continue to build on the strength and outcomes of our work readiness training programme, employer award of the year initiative, recruitment and support services. The new youth entrepreneurship programme plans to kick-start as a pilot next year.  We are also working on expanding our services to include and cater for the outer islands of Vava'u and Ha'apai.

​TYEE is looking forward to 2018 unfolding and celebrating another year of helping the youth in Tonga through employment and entrepreneurship along with the GEW 2018 .

​Photographs by Masuridy Production.

​Marking the Event by the Opening of TYEE Youth Entrepreneur Stalls -  Introduction of Youth Entrepreneurs’ Business Products 

Youth Employer Award of the Year 2017

TYEE President presenting the Award to E.M.Jones Group Chief Operations Manager, Mr. Daniel Jones on Friday, 10th Nov 2017.

Congratulations to the E.M.Jones Group, the nominated employer and the first Youth Employer Award of the Year 2017 being awarded under this new initiative. ​TYEE is very grateful to E.M.Jones Group and the management team for their on-going commitment and support to our objectives by providing the opportunities and the on-the-job support for the youth on variety of positions across its group of companies.

"We look forward to continuing our relationship and supporting such a positive initiative as TYEE", said Daniel Jones.

This new initiative award is kindly co-sponsored by DFAT funded programme Tonga Skills and TYEE for the first time, this year in which we work to roll it out for the second year in 2018.

TYEE is also very grateful to Tonga Skills for the generous support and commitment to our objectives by providing a $250 Cash Sponsorship of the Youth Employer Award of the Year 2017.  We take this opportunity to thank you and the management of Tonga Skills for your continued support of TYEE’s initiatives. 

​TYEE Youth Q & A Session with 2017 Election Candidates