YOUNG LEADERS. DavaoToday reporter Malaya Genotiva (third from the left) is among the eight youth selected for the Mindanao Young Leaders Program (MinYLP), a four-month bespoke leadership initiative in New Zealand. (Contributed photo)
DAVAO CITY, Philippines — A Davao Today journalist has been named as one of the eight young leaders from Mindanao chosen to get a four-month bespoke leadership program in New Zealand.
Malaya Genotiva, production head, and reporter of DavaoToday.com and a member of the National Union of Journalist of the Philippines-Davao Chapter joins seven other young scholars from Mindanao who will be going to New Zealand this August.
In the four-month stay in New Zealand, the Mindanao Young Leaders Program (MinYPL) young leaders will learn from New Zealand organizations and individuals, including local and central government, non-government organizations, academics, and Maori. They will learn about a wide range of topics such as community development, democratic governance processes, gender, justice, labor rights, conflict resolutions, sustainable economic development, environmental management, social enterprise and indigenous approaches to development.
Genotiva, who graduated Bachelor of Science in Anthropology from the University of the Philippines Mindanao, was a student leader in her college days and a press freedom and human rights advocate who aims to learn how the media in New Zealand align them with causes advancing democracy, human rights, equality, and social justice.
“I could use the skills of a journalist to learn more about the good practices in New Zealand when it comes to governance, especially upholding press freedom. Hopefully, I learn from their experiences and apply them critically here in our context especially here in Mindanao,” Genotiva said.
The Mindanao Young Leaders Program (MinYLP) is supported by the New Zealand government and managed by UnionAID in collaboration with the International Alert Philippines and Victoria University of Wellington.
Among the top eight young leaders are Abubakar Basman of Marawi City who is currently the public relations and programs officer of the Lanao del Sur Early Response Network, Alexis Yonson of Cagayan de Oro City who is the project officer of ECHOsi Foundation, Rohanie Ibra Amer, a development worker from Marawi City, Rugby coach to less privileged children Hilton Soberano, ecologist and conservationist Ben Raye Marco of Pigcawayan North Cotabato, a school teacher, and Philippine Red Cross Youth advisor Sanny Priann Justo of Esperanza Agusan del Sur, and community worker for women cross-border traders Sharifa Ain Abdulmajid Lipae of Tawi-Tawi. (davaotoday.com)
