Alumni Feature - Penua Hila-Cook
Written by Penua Hila-Cook, introduction by The Voice Inc.
Posted on 25 February 2019
Our fifth TVI alumni feature is Penua Hila-Cook, "The Innovative Thinker". Penua's journey found us at the PNG University of Technology (Unitech). His journey with TVI grew from a student mentor, to being formally employed with TVI out of his profession as a Graduate Architect.
Read his story below.
I always had an interest for the creative things in life. Growing up, my siblings and I did the most innovative yet resourceful and fun activities together. There were 5 of us, an almost equal share that included 3 boys and 2 girls. We did not go far to look for playmates, we were our greatest enemies and longest best friends. When we got bored my older brother would tell to us to invent our own games or replicate existing ones.
For instance we would draw chess boards for chess games, snake & ladder boards for snakes & ladders, we even divided the house floor rug into a rugby field and played rugby with our fingers. The rugby games were competitive and intense, there were scoresheets and game time was 5 minutes each way. For conversion kicks, someone had to create a goal post with their fingers (both thumbs and pointers) while the other tried to kick a plastic made rugby ball over again with their fingers. Technique was everything. Where resources fell short, lunch money had to be invested in playtime. This was the luxury of our childhood.
I had a fairly fun and average childhood. In school I got along with everyone. I guess I could credit my love for drawing and my ability to socialise at an early stage with 4 other different personalities (my siblings). In grade 1 and most of lower primary days, I would volunteer to do everyone’s drawing assignment or any drawing at all. Not exactly a people pleaser but I managed to win favour with everyone through my talent of drawing, my younger form of service. From as far back as I can remember, I’ve always been a high energy guy; the guy with all the cool stories, the guy who could make you laugh within moments of meeting you.
I guess the love I had for drawing landed me with an admission to the PNG University of Technology (Unitech) to do my Bachelors in Architecture and Building. Some of the best days of my life were during this period. I enjoyed school so much I took it upon myself to find any form of employment during my semester breaks just to sharpen the axe. I was attached to respected firms like Lae Builders, Rams Architect and Sago Network. I met great people who gave me their trust and took me under their wing as a mentee and good friend. It was a flame that caught on. I saw the effects of this when the Library I designed in Unitech for my high school, Lae Secondary School, got approved and built. I was privileged to be around great people. Something not hard to do, when you take an earnest approach to life.
One day in school, Davida (a good friend of mine) took me along to attend a TVI session that Serena and Barbra (Davida’s older sister) were doing at the Rose Kekedo Lecture Theatre at Unitech. I can’t remember what they said that night but I can remember thinking to myself, “Wow. Those two are amazing! I need to be like them. I need to get to that level”. It was that easy to blown away by capacity of young vibrant Papua New Guineans since they didn’t come in flocks in those days.
When TVI established the Leadership Development Program (LDP) at Unitech in 2014, I was invited to mentor a group of students. I did horribly! I attended the first event and was basically a no show afterwards. But thankfully for me, my friends at the TVI Headquarters saw something in me and offered me a second chance. So the year after I joined TVI as a part time staff and signed on full time in January 2016.
My time (2 years) at TVI was amazing. My colleagues, the students, my mentors, the events and the experiences all made me realize just how amazing life is and how it can get even better when you live your life in service of a greater cause.
My official role was the ‘Program Officer at Unitech’. I took what I learnt from mentors I had met in Life and applied to my work at TVI. I built trust and became that person to talk to amongst the students in Unitech. To date, I must say that that is my most treasured memory and also my biggest achievement; being the guy who my mentees and friends trusted enough to talk to about their challenges and problems and their hopes and dreams.
I am now employed with an amazing architecture and urban planning firm called Planpac. Planpac does a lot of amazing projects and I’m lucky to be working here, living my best and conquering my challenges one step at a time. I also help out over the weekend with my inspirational mates at the Sago Network. If you don’t already know about the amazing work that Sago does, check out our Facebook page!
A motto or belief in my own words would be "one can only change the world through their own unique design". So go out and be the best yourself can offer! You will attract the right things and right people!