First ever Meghalaya-Australia pact opens doors for Indigenous Entrepreneurs

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaFebruary 7, 2024

In a world-first, a roundtable event was hosted on February 6, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia, marking the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Avenues, Meghalaya and Young Change Agents, as the first knowledge-exchange in entrepreneurship education with indigenous youth between Australia and India.

This unique Australian-Indian partnership between two youth-focussed organizations, Young Change Agents and AVENUES Meghalaya, aims to strengthen the bilateral relationship between the two nations through innovation, education and global learning pathways.

Meghalaya Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma, also wished the association through a virtual address, stating “I am delighted to learn that Meghalaya’s AVENUES is signing an MoU with Young Change Agents, Australia in Melbourne. I have been given to understand that this partnership is aimed at introducing globally recognized entrepreneurial mindsets, skill sets, and toolsets to youth and educators in Meghalaya and North East India through a sustained series of interventions over a two year period. It is truly a historic moment for North East India and particularly for the development of our youth. Through the Avenues-Young Change Agents collaboration, it is our hope that thousands of young individuals in our home, Meghalaya and further in North-East India will be inspired with the spirit of social entrepreneurship, guided by an innovative, integrated education pathway.”

An Acknowledgement of Country was led by Tiffani Seaton, Indigenous Engagement Lead, Young Change Agents, who read out a section of Australia’s Uluru Statement of the Heart: Our youth should be our hope for the future. When we have power over our destiny, our children will flourish. They will walk into worlds and where their culture will be a gift to their country.

Margaret O’Brien, CEO, Young Change Agents, shared how an early, equitable access to innovative and hands-on education is critical.

She said, “We are so impressed with the work of Avenues in North East India, which sparks life skills and leadership opportunities with youth, and by way of invitation from the team, we look forward to shaping a program in partnership, with a focus on sparking entrepreneurial mindsets for tribal youth and exchanging knowledge with teachers and communities. The amplifier effect is powerful. It not only takes a village to build a young person’s potential, sometimes they have to find inspiration outside their village and look globally. This is an opportunity to help unearth that potential”.

Mark Laitflang Stone, Founder & CEO, AVENUES Meghalaya, said, “This event is a historic moment in the Northeast India region’s youth development narrative. It marks the first knowledge-exchange intervention for entrepreneurship education for indigenous youth between our nations. Working with Young Change Agents will help us to spark entrepreneurial mindsets in our indigenous youth, in ways where youth build their confidence and realise what is truly possible”.