BY CHRIS ALEX
NOWADAYS attaining a secure and permanent job in any urban setting requires relevant qualifications and experience, otherwise, chances are none.
However, it’s quite a different story, for 19-year-old, Agnes Allen from To’obaita in the Northern region of Malaita province in the Solomon Islands. Just recently, she was recruited and later secured a permanent job with Solomon Islands Development Agency (SIDA), a company that specializes local food processing in the country.
Born on 31, July 2003, Agnes was raised by her parents in a rural setting of North Malaita. She started her primary level of education at Anoni Atonia Primary School and later underwent her secondary education (forms 1 to 5) at Manakwai Community High. Both schools are in Malaita province.
Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Agnes quit school and decided to concentrate on other important things she thought might keep her busy rather than doing nothing in her home village.
“After leaving school due to COVID 19 I was planning to do something else, something worthwhile for living other than staying down at home,” Agnes told SOLOMON WOMEN.
However, this year, something unexpected happened, she received a phone call from her uncle (an employer of SIDA) who told her if she is willing to have a permanent job with the staff of SIDA in New Chinatown, Honiara.
“I’m so excited when I was invited to work there despite lack of qualification and no other formal training attended concerning this job, I just accept the offer deep in my heart” she recalled.
Agnes is now more captivated and motivated in her new job dealing with local food processing and value-added root crop commodities at the SIDA.
“Having such knowledge, we can add value to the root crops we plant in our garden. Value-adding is so important to our crops in terms of shelf life long and other related stuff.
“I think this is the best place to start as a youth,” Agnes said.
Since the inception of the SIDA in October 2021, the local business and company now employ seven staff (six adults including her the youngest).
Solomon Islands Development Agency (SIDA) now specializes in the processing of dried cassava, kumara, taro, and banana starch into flour in the country. The introduction of healthy and nutritious bakery products like the production of cassava, kumara, taro, and banana into flour by SIDA is seen as a way forward in developing new opportunities within the agricultural sector of the country as well as among people from rural areas.
