“When students feel free to go to school and receive an education without the threat of tribal fights and its violence, that is true peace to me,” this was 19 year old Joyce Alberts response when asked what peace in Hela Province looked like to her.

Joyce, a person living with disability, was a grade 11 student at the Tari Secondary in Hela Province but due to tribal conflicts in the communities surrounding the school, she and fellow schoolmates were advised to stay home until such a time it would be safe to pursue their studies.

“I have put my education on hold until such a time when this tribal fighting stops. I am not sure when it will stop, but for now, all I can do is wait.”

Joyce was a participant in a 2-day Photography workshop that focused on emotional literacy and self expression, challenges and dreams, bias and empathy, peaceful coexistence, selfcare, culture and photography notions and techniques.

The photography workshop was conducted by UNFPA through the project “Gender transformative psychosocial support for peace and community resilience in Hela Province”. This project is a joint effort by UNFPA and the United Nations Women to strengthen peacebuilding exercises in the Highlands Region of PNG.

Joyce and 20 other youths from the Homa Village of Tari, who called themselves the Oceanic Rebels and are a community rugby team as well, participated in the photography workshop exploring creative techniques to express their emotions, thoughts, concerns and dreams. . 

“We keep these youths engaged in sports, especially rugby, so they do not engage in tribal fights and conflicts,” shared club president of the Oceanic Rebels Mr. Dickson Gurel.

“Tribal conflicts are all around the communities and can arise anytime, so as much as possible, as community leaders, we keep these young men and women engaged in sports and other social and religious activities just so that they can remain focused without what is happening around them affecting them.”

In thanking UNFPA for the wonderful sessions provided, Mr. Dickson Gurel shared how young people can use what is around them to create activities for the youths in their communities as well.

“What we have learned here is unique. These are skills that we have and what is around us that we amplify to create engaging activities in our communities, thank you.”