Участник программы обмена из Папуа — Новой Гвинеи возвращается с опытом для развития сельских сообществ

Participation in the Community Engagement Exchange (CEE) programme in the United States (US) has empowered Hezron Motoum’s views on community development. Returning to Papua New Guinea, he now wants to test those lessons where they matter most — among young people and rural communities. Motoum’s journey began in Woginara, a remote community in East Sepik, and took him to Divine Word University in Madang before opening an unexpected door to the US. He was selected for the programme after progressing through three rounds of interviews from more than 8,000 applicants worldwide. His fellowship took him to Houston, Texas, where he worked on community development, environmental stewardship and green infrastructure projects. The experience exposed him to new approaches to building safer, healthier and more resilient communities and strengthened his belief in the power of people working together to address local challenges. “Where you start does not define where you can go,” Motoum said. For Motoum, however, the fellowship was not simply an opportunity to travel overseas or gain international experience. It was a chance to learn approaches that could eventually be adapted to PNG. During the programme, Motoum also travelled to Washington DC, where he and fellow PNG CEE participant Naomi Dubabagi met with representatives of the PNG Embassy and discussed their experiences and plans to contribute to their country. Now back home, he has turned his attention to putting those lessons into practice. Through Future Horizon, an organisation he helped establish with fellow Divine Word University (DWU) alumni, he plans to develop initiatives focused on climate resilience, water, sanitation and hygiene, and youth empowerment. The first programmes are expected to begin with workshops at DWU before expanding to schools and rural communities. For Motoum, bringing the knowledge home was just as important as gaining it. His experience has also shaped his message to other young Papua New Guineans who may feel limited by where they come from or discouraged by setbacks. “Rejection and unexpected delays are not the end of your story. They are simply preparations for a bigger platform.” His own journey is an example of that belief, from a rural community in East Sepik, through university in Madang, to an international fellowship, and now back home with plans to put what he has learned to work.