“Never give up!”
Those were the words highlighted by the Prime Minister Hon. Manasseh Sogavare MP to several youths of this country Solomon Islands this week at the National Auditorium in Honiara at the launch of the Youth Peacebuilding Innovation Forum.
Skipping the formalities of reading his prepared speech to adhere to a request made by the Master of Ceremony, the Prime Minister instead gave an inspirational story of his life in a nearly packed auditorium.
The Prime Minister spoke of the challenges of his early years during high school days. Hailing from a humble beginning, the Prime Minister highlighted that material belongings that he possessed at high school which only included 3 trousers and 3 shirts purposely for class, church and for joining work lines and a bedding that consisted only of a mat did not deter him from performing to the best of his ability.
Hon. Sogavare also stated, that whilst he would shy away from others in class who were fortunate than him, that provided a motivation for him to excel.
The Prime Minister also shared his lowest moments which included when he was ordered by his Geography teacher to stand in front of the classroom whilst everyone else were copying their notes from the blackboard because he was late for class by 3 minutes.
The Prime Minister further shared how he had to quit school because of financial constraints, applied for work and landed his first job as an orderly in the Inland Revenue Department. As an Orderly, his job entailed cleaning the rest rooms and also as a tea boy in which he served tea for “the colonial masters.”
“If someone can rise from a toilet cleaner and tea boy to be a Prime Minister” the possibilities are endless and you can do what you want in life. The Prime Minister challenged the Youths.
“We can talk about great ideas but only you can make the difference.” He says.
“We are counting on you to make a difference!” Hon. Sogavare stated.
The Youth Peacebuilding Innovation Forum is from the 17th to 19th October 2017.
– PM Press Secretariat
