Grade 8 dropout is chef & literary prize sponsor

JEFF FEBI

THIS IS THE STORY of Joe Yagama, 38, whose mother and father are from Sinasina and Bundi respectively. He lives in his mother’s village and is happily married with a son who was born recently.

Many a tale of success pops up now and then. This one strikes a chord I am familiar with and to a certain extent I feel I should claim it. Anyway, here’s the story.

In 1991, while still in Grade 8, Joe dropped out of Kundiawa’s Catholic run Kondiu Rosary High School. Like many young and vulnerable people in the harsh world outside of school, he roamed the streets until 2005, when he got a job as a kitchen hand at the Airways Hotel in Port Moresby.

After nine months and numerous secret lessons from other kitchen staff, he managed to grace his boss’s radar and was promoted to trainee pizza chef.

His success at Airways enabled him in 2008 to apply for and secure a new job at the Shady Rest Hotel in Moresby. But after only a few months he found himself on the streets again – thanks to workplace lies, deceit and jealousy.

 

But fate wasn’t finished with Joe yet. In 2009 he was working for minerals explorer Marengo Gold at its Yandera exploration camps in Bundi. This experience in the extractive industry was to prove crucial.

He applied for and was offered a position with Kutubu Catering Limited – the company that feeds the entire Oil Search Limited (OSL) operations in the Kutubu and surrounding project areas. He was posted to OSL’s drilling rig 103 where I’m stationed and the rest is history.

Currently he is night chef – a position that requires him to manage the Rig 103 camp at night apart from his kitchen duties. He has handled things well despite the camp’s mix of international inhabitants and their demands for peculiar dishes.

What interests me about Joe is his recent revelation during a casual chat. He is sponsoring a literature competition at Giu Primary School this school year.

I, upon hearing about his project, at once lit up and pestered him to tell me more.

The school is located in Dinga No 2 in the Suai LLG area of Sina Sina-Yongomugl district of Simbu Province.

Joe stated that through the competition he aims to “motivate and spark passion in students from this rural school to focus on achieving and aim high”.

What really intrigues me is the question of why would Joe, given his education background, sponsor a competition that could potentially alleviate the level of spoken and written English in this part of Simbu, let alone the other positive effects it may generally have over students from Giu?

It appears Joe is an educated and intelligent man, albeit without formal qualifications. He is aware of the positive impact the English language can have on students of Giu Primary School and is actually doing something to enable students to learn to write and speak in English better.

Like Joe there are thousands of Grade 8 dropouts in villages, towns and cities across the country. Grade 10 and 12 dropouts are also plentiful. If all can think and do something to help themselves and their respective communities without doubt there wouldn’t be anyone left to cultivate and nurture the cargo cult mentality.

If only we all could do our bit, however little it may be for the country, we will all be meaningful participants in the development of this country and may turn this country around from its path to self destruction over night – if overnight is too fast than in matter of a decade.

I am referring to people-driven change and not government driven change as many a time changes or proposed changes sponsored by the government is always hijacked by a member of, to use Martyn Namorong’s words, the predatory elite class.

I think Joe is doing something noble and have contemplated supporting him in his endeavour. He is aware of and has tried to view and read PNG Attitude but poor network reception at our workplace has denied him access.

More on Joe and his literature competition will be published here in PNG Attitude.

Comments

[Timothy Poroda]

This is an inspirational story that can inspire some of our dropouts, who are roaming the streets nowadays, to prosper in their life.

It is true that not many dropouts can be like Joe and go as far.

Because of his interest he was able to to find alternative ways to be someone. And now he is helping his entire village back home.

[Jerome Aiake]

I hope a lot of the youths today read this inspiring story. Doing so may help them to not see themselves as failures but as people with potential who can do something to benefit themselves rather than going into activities not allowed by the law of the land and the law of heaven.

However, I am not encouraging Grade 8's that you can easily find jobs if you fail. In Joe's case he had very high intentions of getting a job so he is lucky to be where he is now.

Another thing may be his hard working skills that earned him his place. To fail Grade 8 at his time was OK compared to many secondary schools nowadays. If you fail Grade 8 I do not thing you would end up like Joe.

For Joe to sponsor a literary competition in his part of Chimbu is highly regarded.

If someone like Joe can share his wealth for a good cause, I hope some politicians can share their personal wealth with their people by building an aidpost, paying for school materials etc instaed of waiting for government money.

Instead they go into more and more business activities with no charitable organisations owned by them.

To Joe, if I was the Governor General I will definitely give you a medal for the good deed.Thanks man, I wish politicians were like you.

[Robert Jikavi]

Nobody in this world is a failure. If you fail your education don't think that it is the end of life.

You struggle hard you will achieve it. God created each and everyone of us, he has the plan in our life if we make use we will get the good end result.

Therefore, grade 8 dropouts can sponsor the literature competion at the primary school. What about the university graduate currently working and earn good money.

If they also practise the same in their own village as what Mr Yagama is doing, I think the education standard will be increase.

[Jerome Aiake]

Thanks Jeff Febi for such an inspiring story. I wish a lot of dropouts nowadays read this article.

By reading Joe's story it may help them to have or set some higher goals so they may struggle to achieve them.

This will also help them to forget seeing themselves as failures. Also may help some to stop taking illicit drugs and start having hope.

What I admired most is Joe's initiative of sponsoring a literature competition in his part of Simbu. If someone like Joe can share his little wealth for a good cause, then it is shame to some of our old timers who run this nation.

Why? I have not come across any effective charitable foundations owned and run effectively by these old timers using their own resources. Yet they build palaces and go into more and more business activities.

To you, Joe Yagama, I salute you for your inspiring initiative. If I was the GG I you would definitely receive a knighthood.

[Jeff Febi]

Thank you Desmond. Joe will be attending a short course soon, sponsored by his employer.

Upon completion he will be recognised as an apprentice. He needs no further training so he will wait for the next level courses to be offered. So God help him.

[Desmond Kuluwah]

Cheers Joe! I think you are a real role model to the youths today.

To be honest Jeff, this story as inspired me a lot; but there is something that I want to share. The world is changing every day from one level to another, new ideas and technologies are booming.

And for a grade eight drop out it must be very challenging working along side the certificate holders in the workforce.

What I am trying to point out is that I think you should go for more studies and get a certificate on the higher level of education, the work that you now have as a night chef is on the edge of a cliff, sooner or later some degree or diploma holders can get the postion that now you have.

Nowadays qualifications count!

[Michael Dom]

Hi Sedrick, Joyce and Nathan, good comments.

I remember graduating from uni then spending time as a 'street bum'.

That's another story.

But those hard lessons served me well in the end because I persevered. There are many others with similar experience.

What Joe has is a tenacity for life and making himself better that has placed him in a position to also give back, and he has done so.

That's powerful. You can't beat that.

[Nathan Gabara]

That's a good thing Joe is doing as a Grade 8 drop out fighting his way to the top and then bringing something good back to his community.

But I didnt see any university graduates doing such things; maybe one out of a thousand have done it.

Nowadays people like developments to schools and villages but nobody is digging in their pocket for such things to happen.

It would be shame if I graduate and do nothing to assist my community.

[Joyce Bagi]

The story of Joe Yaguna is a testimony for many young Papua New Guineans.This clearly states how many youths engage in street activities looking for job aimlessly.

This is a very commom situation faced by many youths in our country. Most young people regret but who is to be blamed?

Regardless of the youths' behaviour and attitude towards their studies, there will come a time where they will realise the impact the past brings to them.

Opportunities these days requires people who have qualifications to do the right job. Not some street roamers! So children think twice before skipping classes.

[Sedrick Moka]

This is a wonderful story and experience to share and motivate a country where there are many unfortunate school leavers roaming around the streets doing nothing but getting themselves involved in violent activities.

You can be employed with the highest job, but remember there are also countless others who have similar job positions like you.

What I am trying to point out is that you can become unique if you use your job and skills to do something for your society and country as a whole.

[Jeff Febi]

The 'enabling environment' for many dropouts to take the initial bold steps to actually doing something of their own isn't there on the horizon - even in the decade of increased growth.

It is almost non-existent but for the predatory elite class.

This is why many continue to harbour the cargo-cult mentality.

[Rozabelle Hota]

Dear Mr Febi, reading this story has inspired me.

Looking at the global world today, many dropouts are roaming the streets engaging in crime activities.

Putting up this kind of story will encourage us to make awareness so as to help people in Joe's situation.

Please do publish more of his stories. This will help others who sometimes fail and say they can't go on, to change their thinking and encourage themselves to move on.

[Joe Wasia]

Thanks Jeff for the great story.

Success is all about doing things right. It doesn't count how many educational qualification a person has as stated by Dr.Stanley in his book 'The Millionaire Mind'. Inspirational indeed.

[William Dunlop]

Joe, You remind me of Robert the Bruce. He kept at it despite failure after failure until he became King (700 years ago).

[Jeff Febi]

Thank you Katayo. Big Pat of Post Courier reads PNG Attitude so if this story appeals to him he will have it published.

Bernard, Joe mentioned you briefly. Obviously you twos know each other. Joe's a champ.

Thanks Corney. Sending you an email now.

Cheers.

[Michael Dom]

Thank you Jeff for sharing Joe's inspiring life story.

We can all take small actions in our communities to make life better for everyone, if we are only be willing to try and commit our time, effort and resources.

We can all take some action in our own way, like Joe, to give something back to our community.

Karua Peter writes about 'your self' being the most important person in the world; in a philosophical sense I agree with this.

So how do we go from that idea to volunteering actions within our own communitites?

Here's what I've seen in Australia.

Australia as a nation pride themselves on being built by volunteers; community level activities that have over the years grown the local spirit and created their 'togetherness'. This is the Australia that they refer to 'building', not the cities with sky scrapers and free ways, not the big business, better government services and commercial industry that have developed.

The real Australia is in their community spirit.

This is also true in every nation. It's in the communities, rural and urban, that we may see our true selves. The settings may change, but the character of the people reamains consistent.

When I think about it, local community is the missing factor in today's modern society in PNG. We are enamoured of the global community, brainwashed by commercialized parliamentarians of the national context of issues and we continue to spout Melanesian philosopies while we have for the most part disregarded where those philosophies started. Community.

Where do we live? Where do we sleep and who do we see when we come out of our homes in the morning, or return in the evening? Who are we hanging out with, killing time? Who do our children grow up with, play with go to school with - and where? Community.

My Mummy told me that helping my community was helping myself. I'll stick to that philosophy. It's got good karma.

[Colin Huggins]

A very "good feeling" report. Makes a change.
Lets hope that Mr.Joe Yagama gets all the support he so well deserves. Yep, Bernard it does seem "Kennedyesque". "Ask not etc".

[Corney K Alone]

Hi Jeff, Wonderful reading about the passion of this generational thinker.

Shoot me an email so I can see how best my employer can improve network coverage at your workplace so he and others read more from PNG Attitude and other sources online.

My email address is corney.alone@gmail.com

[Bernard Yegiora]

Katayo and Jeff this story is very true.

I grew up with Joe and have seen his struggles and successes.

He is practically applying the words of J. F. Kennedy by doing something for his country.

[Katayo Sagata]

Very inspiring, Jeff. Why don't you send this to the Post- Courier or The National so that many school leavers who do not have access to internet can read it. It may inspire some and create more Joes.