When Guilaine Nauni joined CARE Vanuatu’s Young Women’s Leadership Program (YWLP) in 2017, she was a young woman seeking opportunity. Today, she is a confident leader, entrepreneur, and community advocate, using her skills to support others, especially women and single mothers.
As one of the first YWLP participants, Guilaine gained skills in leadership, gender equality, and building relationships free from violence. These lessons shaped both her personal and professional life.
It helped me get my first job and gave me strong knowledge that still guides me today.
Over time, Guilaine found her voice.
The program built my leadership skills. I can now stand in public and speak with confidence. I can talk openly with my family and community, and I’m helping other young people.
After working with CARE Vanuatu, Guilaine continued giving back, bringing young women and men together to raise awareness on gender equality and positive social change in communities across Port Vila and Efate.
Using skills gained through YWLP, she later founded ‘Penpena Mouri’, a small local NGO supporting single mothers. Through successful funding proposals, she secured support from local and regional partners to deliver community workshops and create safe spaces for dialogue on gender roles, inclusion, and shared responsibility.
More recently, Guilaine joined 32 alumnae from CARE’s YWLP and Young Men’s Initiative in a Digital Canvas Training in Tanna and Port Vila. As a small business owner, she saw this as an opportunity to strengthen her business skills.
Through the training, she learned how to set clear business goals, understand customers and use digital tools like smartphones, Google Docs, and Sheets to manage finances.
Before, I didn’t set clear goals. Now I understand how goals motivate a business to grow. Learning about digital finance showed me the importance of budgeting and saving with purpose.
Today, Guilaine balances entrepreneurship, community leadership, and mentoring others. Her journey reflects the long-term impact of investing in young women.
The program doesn’t just have a short-term impact. It changes you for life. It builds confidence and helps women and girls speak up and face challenges with stronger self-esteem.
From participant to changemaker, Guilaine’s story shows what’s possible when women are supported with the skills, confidence, and opportunities to lead.
The CARE Vanuatu Gender Equality Project is proudly supported by the Australian and New Zealand Governments through DFAT and MFAT.
Want to contribute? Donate to CARE Australia today, or find more ways to give and support our humanitarians worldwide.
