The US Agency for International Development (USAID) and The University of the South Pacific (USP) launched an all-female Project Management Practice cohort for 30 members of the Women in Maritime Association (WIMA) and presented completion certificates to 23 women who completed a USAID Project Management Cohort in Suva on International Women’s Day (8 March)
Ms Susan Sela, Director USP Pacific TAFE, represented USP at the launch of the cohort. USAID was represented by the Charge d’ Affaires of the US Embassy in Suva, Mr Tony Greubel
Delivering her remarks, Ms Sela acknowledged all women for their determination and perseverance.
“I would like to acknowledge all women in this room on this internationally celebrated day for women,” she said. “Happy International Women’s day – Choose to Challenge is such an appropriate theme when one considers that you have chosen to challenge yourselves by taking up this programme of study – and you have come out successfully completing this challenge. At the same time, we remember those women who are deprived of opportunities to realise their full potential.”
Ms Sela expressed her gratitude to USAID on behalf of USP Pacific TAFE in providing people a path to self-reliance and resilience especially during Post COVID times.
She also emphasised that the upcoming cohort for WIMA which will begin on 22 March in Suva will showcase both the University and US Climate Ready’s commitment to women empowerment.
“Both the University and USAID recognises the critical role women play in communities,” she said.
Giving an overview, the Director highlighted that project management cohorts have received overwhelming response from regional countries and the programme continues to grow in strength.
“Project Management has been one of Pacific TAFE’s most popular programmes across the Pacific region,” she said. “Since the programme’s inception, Pacific TAFE has been able, through funding by USAID, to deliver Certificate IV in Project Management qualifications in Fiji, Vanuatu, Kiribati, Tonga, Samoa, Republic of the Marshall Islands and Solomon Islands.”
Through bilateral agreements with USAID we have also delivered this programme to two countries outside of the USP region, in Papua New Guinea and the Federated States of Micronesia, said Ms Sela.
So far, Pacific TAFE has successfully delivered 3 cohorts in PNG, with the most recent one completed a month ago in Lae.
