Brief background of Malampa Province
Malampa province is one out of the six provinces in Vanuatu. It is made up of three main islands which form its name; they are Malakula, Ambrym and Paama. It has a population of 36,100 people and its capital is Lakatoro. The three islands have their own languages. In Malekula there are nearly thirty different languages, whilst in Ambrym, in the north they speak north Ambrym language, in the southeast, they speak southeast Ambrym language, in south the dakaka language, in the west the Lonwolwol language and in the south they speak the port vato language. The Paama inhabitants however, speak only the Paama language. Malampa economy is mainly based on tourism, like in Ambrym the active volcanoes, the tropical vegetation and the customs of the local villagers really attracts tourist.
Economic Status
Primary production sector (Agriculture, forestry, livestock and fisheries) in Malampa Province is the main economic activity for more than 95% of the households. Other jobs/activities include staff for schools, Government officers, employees of private companies (PRV, Mantenesal, Mapest plantation, UNELCO, NBV, Air Vanuatu, etc) and NGOs, a handful of transport (land & sea) and tourism operators, a few tradesmen, and some shopkeepers. For Malampa Province, Agriculture is a priority area, with local business development to have a leading role in the ‘private sector-led growth’ The Vanuatu Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Sector Strengthening Program is an Australian Government funded Program which aims to support provincial economic development through targeted training in Malampa provinces. The Program encourages a more responsive and better quality training system that is able to meet the skill demands of the productive sectors in provincial communities. The Program operates within existing structures and works with local training providers to deliver courses focused on employment and income-generation outcomes within a nationally recognised framework. TVET Centres have been established in Malampa provinces which offer a range of integrated training service. It is anticipated that from 2014, TVET Centre services will be extended to additional provinces. With around 70% of the Vanuatu population aged under 25, enabling access to skill development services to increase employment opportunities and educational pathways is a priority area for the TVET Centers.