Future leaders across the Pacific

Felisbela Do Rosario Guterres plans to use her Prime Minister’s Pacific-Australia Award (PMPA) to help stop deforestation in her home country, Timor Leste.  

Guterres received the $25,000 award along with four other international students – Donald Gumbis, Lydia Yalambing, Ludwig Nanawar and Shirley Laban – in recognition of their leadership potential.

The postgraduates are studying at UNSW on AusAID scholarships, a program that brings students from developing countries to study in Australia so they can acquire skills to contribute to development back home. The awards provide recipients with a combination of work placement and leadership training to build on their academic experience.

Guterres was inspired to study a Master of Environmental Management after witnessing the continuing deforestation in her home country.  

“Environmental management is not a priority for the government back home. There are many issues facing Timor Leste – drought, lack of clean drinking water and poor infrastructure.

“I hope to use the skills acquired from my degree and work experience to make a difference in this area. My long-term goal is to establish an environmental auditing company,” she says.

Finishing his Master of Arts in International Relations at the end of this year, Donald Gumbis is hoping to undertake a work placement at a think-tank such as the Lowy Institute for International Policy.

“My interest in this area was piqued by attending several Kokoda Foundation conferences while studying in Sydney. I see a future for myself in public policy.

“When I return home to Papua New Guinea, I hope to build on the knowledge base of the university where I work. It’s important that Papua New Guinea and the students are kept informed of issues of globalisation.”

The other three award recipients are: from PNG – Lydia Yalambing, Doctor of Philosophy in Food Science and Technology and Ludwig Nanawar, Master of International Public Health; and from Vanuatu – Shirley Laban, Master of Public Health.

The students will formally accept their awards in December at the Australia Awards Dinner in Canberra. 

Media contact: Cassie Chorn, UNSW Media Office, 02 9385 5405