In the quiet, sun-washed hills of Sabruka Ward, hope is rising—shaped not by politicians or officials, but by the determination of young people who refuse to let their community be defined by its struggles. Among them is Grace Moimoi, a soft-spoken yet steady young woman whose commitment is beginning to shift the lives around her.
Grace serves as a youth committee member, proudly representing the young women of her ward. She is also the vice president of the Bougainville Women Federation (BWF), a role she carries with humility and deep purpose. “I want to see our community move forward,” she says, her voice calm but resolute. “Not just for us, but for the next generation too.”
As Bougainville moves closer to its independence transition, Grace and her fellow youths are pouring their energy into organizing community sports and games - activities designed not just for enjoyment, but as a strategic community intervention. Their goal is simple but powerful: keep young people meaningfully engaged, connected, and away from the drinking spots where many young men slip into patterns of alcohol abuse.
“We want them to come play, come be part of something good,” Grace says. “Instead of sitting outside drinking, they can be in the field—laughing, competing, building friendships and purpose.”
During a recent UNFPA-led community dialogue, Grace was introduced to the Six Benchmarks. At first, the words felt technical and distant. But as the youth unpacked them together, she saw their relevance clearly. “The concepts felt big,” she explains, “but when we talked through them, I realized these values are already in us. They are part of our families and our culture. We just needed someone to help us name them.”
Yet beneath Grace’s hopeful vision lies a reality that weighs heavily on the community. Alcohol abuse especially among young men remains one of Sabruka Ward’s most persistent challenges. And with it comes a shadow that too often goes unspoken: gender-based violence.
Grace has seen firsthand how excessive drinking fuels tension inside homes. When young men gather at drinking spots, violence often follows, arguments escalate, partners and children become targets, and families live in fear. In communities like Sabruka, where access to support services is limited, these impacts are even more devastating.
Grace understands this connection deeply. “When alcohol takes over,” she says quietly, “respect is the first thing to disappear. And when respect disappears, violence comes in.”
This is why the youth-led initiatives are more than recreational activities - they are protective measures. By reducing idle time and offering healthier spaces for young men, the youth hope to break the cycle linking alcohol misuse to GBV, family breakdown, and lost potential.
Looking ahead, Grace dreams of establishing small-scale poultry projects to keep young people productive while providing a source of income. “If they are busy, if they see they can build something with their own hands, they will not go back to drinking,” she says. “It gives them hope and when people have hope, they make better choices.”
For Grace, this work is not simply programmatic. It is about strengthening self-belief, rekindling community pride, and inspiring a shift in mindset—one household, one conversation, one young person at a time.
Sabruka Ward may be small, but with young leaders like Grace Moimoi stepping forward, its future feels bigger, brighter, and more united than ever. And in the hearts of its young people lies a growing truth: change does not begin in parliament or policy documents, but it begins at home, in everyday acts of courage, and in communities willing to stand together against alcohol abuse and the violence it fuels.
