New Hahela market opening
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade with the Australian Government in partnership with the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) and the New Zealand Government currently launched the new market at the Hahela surburb at Buka.
The construction of new market project has been a priority for the governments to support women who earn income from selling fresh garden food and the project welcomed youths and the community to participate in and freely showcase their creativity and talent.
A group called Toolbox Production beautified the market with paintings portraying the activities that women get involved in when bringing their goods to the market for selling. Toolbox Production is made up of eleven local young men and women who are talented artists.
Bougainville Youth Representative, Mr Junior Pais on behalf of the Toolbox Production said that it was a great experience working together with the youths to contribute their ideas and creativity on the six by 9 liters tanks. The paintings have made the tanks to stand out and make the mothers feel happy as they sit inside and sell their goods, he said.
A representative from the women sellers at the market, Ms Elaine Kapar acknowledged the governments to fund the project and said that it looked like a small project to many people but to the mothers of the market, they truly appreciated the gift and are empowered to work hard at their gardens and bring their goods to the market to sell.
She added that, selling food was their only way of earning an income and that the market provided them a space to put their goods and the women could now use the tanks to wash their hands and drink when thirsty.
First Secretary, Australian Development Assistant Dr Fiona Crockford received all the remarks and reminded the people that donors were serious about investing funding into constructing new markets because many markets were built using traditional materials that did not cater for all the garden goods and many times the shelter were not big and strong enough.
She said that Hahela new market was for the mothers who used the area who can continue to sell their items and enjoy the paintings, shelter and the water supplied from the tanks.
The launching ended with the hand out of the certificates to the eleven members of the Toolbox Production that was witnessed by the invited guests, Member for Tsitalato Constituency, Hon. John Bosco Ragu and Buka Town Mayor Fidelis Semoso.
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