Youth take charge of their futures at the TYEE GO GREEN! SWAP & YOUTH EVENING MARKET

Youth Market participants getting ready for the GO GREEN! Zumba

On Friday, 6th of March marks TYEE GO GREEN! first event for this year, 2020. 

“TYEE GO GREEN! SWAP & YOUTH EVENING MARKET”

GO GREEN! a volunteering platform, started with 13 volunteers this year, and we ended our main event last Friday with all of these 13 volunteers, signifying the commitment and dedication these youths have to improving themselves and our environment. But also, to have youths, sacrificing their time and ideas and constantly contributing for the betterment of something other than themselves indicates, we are doing something right here in TYEE GO GREEN!

We started the day with a GO GREEN! Zumba to encourage healthy living and build the confidence of our participants as we moved further into the day. 

We introduced the SWAP last year to the public and managed to obtain 4 registrations. Our second event just last Friday, the number of our registrations for the SWAP tripled to 13 from just November 2019 (GO GREEN! Launch Event) to March the 6th 2020 indicating that the youth and the general public are beginning to see the value of their contribution not only for the environment but also for themselves as we have become a more affordable, sustainable and fashionable clothing solution for these individuals.  In addition to receiving 6 new pieces of clothes on the event, the SWAP members were offered a TYEE GO GREEN! free pack meal and free soft drinks, priority to our YOUTH MARKET and a surprise recycled GO GREEN! Souvenir. So, it’s safe to say, all these 13 members are looking forward for the next event already. 

The second part to our event was introducing our young entrepreneurs through our YOUTH EVENING MARKET. Altogether there were a total of 6 registered members that took advantage of this opportunity to sell and showcase their talents and skills to the public for the first time. We had youths from differing backgrounds including youth groups from Tonga National Youth Congress whom presented and sold the locally-made products their youth are also working on, the Ahopanilolo Technical Institute well known for the raw talents of their students in culinary and sewing professions were also able to showcase and sell their youth-made products, and the SDA Houmakelikao youth members as well. 

A trained GO GREEN! volunteer was assigned to help the entrepreneurs promote and sell their products as part of them gaining relevant work experiences and getting ready for work. These youth entrepreneurs earned quite a lot in just 2hrs. The event had become a networking function for the participants where we have the youth members and organisations or institutes learn from each other, interact and develop the team spirit and togetherness we foster here in TYEE GO GREEN!

At the end of the day, when we reflect on what we have achieved in just 2-3 hours, it takes months and years for a lot of people to accomplish. Although we aim to give our GO GREEN! Volunteers the necessary skills and work experience by putting them in real life situations and facing real customers so that they have a glimpse of what’s its really like out there in the business world, we have come to realize, we are doing more than just bridging that gap in skills and work experience, but rather, we are helping these youth breakthrough the barriers that is limiting them and discouraging their talents, some of which are the lack of confidence, low self-esteem, not acknowledging their talents, whatever it may be. We found a way to help these youth shape their mindset, rise to their potential and take charge of their futures. 

Together we have created an army of one, and it was not about what organisation or which volunteer, it was about what future can we create together, and to have youths unite in this manner is very powerful to say the least.  Friends, families, TYEE employed youths came to show their support and offered their kind donations.

But it would’ve never been made possible if not for the support from the business and sponsors such as Digicel, BSP Bank, South Pacific Mozuku, Hadassah Educational Stop, Tonga Power Ltd, TNYC, SCH Law Office, Jessica Afeaki and WOIT. We hope you see the value of your sponsorship and the impact of your support on our GO GREEN! initiative but especially on the lives of these youth members.
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It is OUR home; it is OUR future and it is OUR responsibility. 
TYEE GO GREEN!