Learning to Lead: A Young Woman’s First Step into Green Entrepreneurship

By Lama Teffatu, Youth Leader from Mortlock Island, Papua New Guinea

Lama Teffatu (left) and fellow youth participants take part in a group activity during the Movers Workshop on Climate Change and Renewable Energy session at the Innovation Hub in Buka.

My name is Lama Teffatu. I am 24 years old and from Mortlock Island, a small atoll in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (ARB) in Papua New Guinea. It takes nearly 24 hours by boat to reach my island from Buka, the capital of Bougainville. My community is no stranger to rising sea levels and environmental changes. In recent years, our gardens have been slowly disappearing and land erosion has worsened.

For years, I didn’t understand why this was happening. It was only after I had the opportunity to attend a Youth Empowerment Bootcamp on Entrepreneurship, Renewable Energy, Green Jobs, and Gender that I realized why all of this was happening. The issue started to feel deeply personal. Like a fight for our homeland, for our daily survival, and for our future. And I knew I had to take action.

From 28-30 May 2025, the bootcamp—organized by the UNDP in collaboration with the Youth Empowerment in Climate Action Platform (YECAP) and the Innovation Hub in Buka—brought together more than 30 young people like me across Bougainville for three days of learning, sharing, and imagining new futures. This was my first training on climate change and my first step into green entrepreneurship. It taught me that climate action is not only about protecting the planet, but also about creating sustainable livelihoods, particularly for young people and women. 

With the support of the Japan-funded Pacific Green Transformation Project and YECAP, the bootcamp gave youth like me access to training, tools, and resources that would not otherwise reach our islands. It was an opportunity to connect, collaborate, and build ideas to bring to our home communities.

The solar system at the Innovation Hub in Buka. Photo: YECAP

Papua New Guinea is more than what the world sees in the news. We are a country full of friendly people, vibrant cultures, and incredible natural resources. Places like Bougainville are safe, beautiful, and open for collaboration. My home, Mortlock Island, is a hidden gem. We may be far from the mainland, but we are full of energy, culture, and young people who are eager to learn, work, and lead.

Green jobs offer a powerful way to address two of our biggest challenges: climate change and unemployment. Learning about green entrepreneurship gave me hope that I don’t have to wait for someone to bring opportunities to my island—I can create them. 

One of the most memorable parts of the bootcamp was learning how to develop business ideas that respond to local environmental challenges. My goal is to help my community adapt to climate change while building a more sustainable future.

Raising awareness in my village is key. Many local people, especially in remote communities like mine, still don’t understand what climate change really is or what we can do about it. I want to share with them what I’ve learned—not just the causes and impacts, but the solutions too. How we can plant smarter, conserve water, shift our habits, and make our voices heard. This bootcamp gave us the tools to start those conversations and train our peers with the same skills we had learned.

Lama Teffatu, a youth participant from Mortlock Island, Papua New Guinea, during the training. Photo: YECAP

As a young woman, I come from a culture that blends both Polynesian and Melanesian traditions, and in many parts of our society, women are still excluded from leadership roles. Men are often seen as the decision-makers, while women are expected to stay behind. I believe this must change. Women have the right to be part of climate solutions as leaders, not only as beneficiaries. Gender equality is at the heart of true climate resilience. This means changing the rules that hold women back and building systems that include everyone, no matter their gender, background, or ability.

To other young people in Papua New Guinea and across the Pacific, don’t wait for someone to tell you that you’re ready to lead. If you have the chance to learn, take it. If you have an idea, speak up. And if you fall, get back up. We are the generation who will inherit this planet, and we must be ready to protect it.

Youth participants during the Movers Workshop on Green Career Mapping, co-developed with makesense Asia. Photo: YECAP

At the very beginning of the bootcamp, our trainer looked around the room and said without any context, “I need one brave volunteer.” The room fell silent. No one raised their hand. I was nervous, but I took a chance. The trainer congratulated me for stepping forward, saying that youth empowerment begins the moment we choose to act. In that small but powerful moment, I took the space when no one else dared to. And that’s what this bootcamp was about — recognizing the power within ourselves to lead.

I raised my hand because I was happy to be there, to be heard, and to be part of a new generation of climate leaders. And I hope more young people from places like mine will have the chance to raise their hands too.

The Pacific Green Transformation Project (Pacific GX), under UNDP’s Climate Promise and funded by the Government of Japan, supports Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Timor-Leste, and Vanuatu in transitioning to renewable energy and green growth. In collaboration with the Youth Empowerment in Climate Action Platform (YECAP), a regional youth-led platform supported by Sweden and Pacific GX, this initiative highlights how young people across the Pacific are leading the green transition. Pacific GX and YECAP are working together to equip youth with the skills, platforms, and resources they need to drive impactful climate action.

This article was originally published on UNDP Papua New Guinea here.