Sport, Strength, and Storytelling: Building Peace in Hela Province Through Rugby League
“We come together, not only to play but to heal, to lead, and to create something new.”
In the heart of Hela Province, among the mountains and scars of conflict, 30 young people gathered in Tari not for a competition, but for connection.
Grass Skirt Project is proud to support the pilot delivery of a sports-based model for peace-building and pro-social youth development, as part of the broader SALIENT Project led by UNFPA Papua New Guinea. This initiative is not just about sport. It is about offering alternative pathways to armed violence through meaningful engagement, cultural connection, and leadership grounded in community values.
A Field of Futures: Rugby League as a Cultural Catalyst
In the Pacific, sport is more than a pastime it’s woven into the social fabric. Rugby league, in particular, is a shared language of strength, resilience, and identity. In this pilot, it has become a powerful tool for youth to imagine new possibilities, rooted in values of teamwork, respect, and inclusion.
Through drills, dialogue, and group reflections, participants explored what it means to be leaders not only on the field, but in their clans, families, and peer groups. For some, this was their first time being invited into a space that centered peace instead of survival. For all, it was a chance to speak truth and reclaim agency.
Listening to the Unheard: Youth Voices in Peace-building
Each young person brought with them lived experience some had grown up around tribal violence, others had been directly involved in cycles of retaliation and survival. What united them was a willingness to reimagine what leadership and strength could look like.
“It’s hard to talk about peace when your whole life has been about fighting. But here, we are learning how to lead with respect not fear,” one participant shared.
The initiative recognises that young people are not problems to be solved, but assets to be empowered. By creating safe, culturally responsive spaces for mentorship and skill-building, the program allows youth to see themselves and each other as part of a broader movement for change.
Gender, Identity, and Visibility
A central element of the pilot was ensuring that both male and female youth were supported through gender-matched coaching and mentorship. Having visible female leaders such as Grass Skirt Project’s Managing Director, Tahina Booth on the field alongside male facilitators served as a powerful model for equality and co-leadership in action.
This approach reflects a key insight from the region: “You can’t be what you can’t see.” By seeing women and men working together respectfully and equitably, young people begin to internalise a new social norm one that disrupts cycles of violence and nurtures safety and dignity for all.
A Shared Path Forward
This pilot is part of UNFPA PNG’s commitment under the SALIENT Project which aims to prevent small arms and light weapons (SALW) violence by tackling root causes and investing in community-driven solutions.
As an organisation grounded in Pasifika values, Grass Skirt Project approaches this work not as outside intervention, but as relational practice. We walk beside communities, not ahead of them. We believe that healing and peace-building are collective journeys, made possible through trust, story, and solidarity.
We are humbled by the courage, generosity, and vision of the youth in Hela. This experience has changed us deeply and we look forward to continuing the collaboration, side by side.
For media inquiries or to support this work, contact:
tahina@grassskirtproject.org
