A program offered by the Women and Children Crisis Centre to empower Inspiring Young Women Leaders was launched at the WCCC office at Fanga on May 31.

Twenty young women have enrolled for the one-year-program, which includes a Big Sister Mentoring program that would see each of the girls team up with another inspiring female leader in Tonga as their mentors.

During a presentation at the launching program, each participant identified their career choice and were then assigned mentors relevant to their career, by the centre.

The program is a one-on-one meeting between the mentor and the participant and would include career mapping where the mentor provides advice on training opportunities, further studies and scholarships. The schedule is set between the mentor and student.

It is intended at the end of the program the next level would see participants graduate with an I-Yel certificate in June 2012 and then go out and pursue what they want to do, take up further study or go back to school.

Leaders

The program required applicants to apply with a minimum qualification of completing Form Six Level in High School.

Director of the WCCCC, 'Ofa Guttenbeil-Likiliki said this program is geared at developing future leaders as 50 percent of participants have completed high schools and are employed while others have completed High School Form six and seven and are now deciding on a career path to pursue.

Fe'ao Halangahu a form seven graduate wants to be a lawyer, and the centre secured local lawyer Dana Stephenson as her mentor; while high school leaver 'Ofa Funaki who aspires to be a solider has Fuatapu Halangahu one of the first TDS female officer as her mentor.

Kilisitina Pifeleti on the hand is currently employed at the Crisis Centre has a Diploma in International Business from the National Vocational Studies offered at the Ministry of Training, Youth and Sports. She wants to pursue a professional career as an accountant and has local accountant Aloma Johansson as her mentor.

Eliminating violence

'Ofa said the I-YEL program is part of the center's prevention strategy in their overall goal of eliminating violence against women and children.

"Through leadership development, career exploration and vision setting we hope that the I-Yel 2010-11 intake would be equipped with appropriate skills to make wiser decisions - decisions that will help them live a life free from violence and abuse to promote gender equality throughout Tonga."

The mentoring program runs alongside other leadership programs from June 2010 to May 2012.