A local firefighter says he was lucky to be part of a global project that would allow him to help improve not only himself but the nation as well.

A three-week Global Enterprise Experience, which addressed a United Nations Sustainable Development Goal with limited capital, was successfully completed by two Samoan firefighters and eight other participants from different ministries.

The Global Enterprise Experience was part of a diverse team comprising members from China, Colombia, New Zealand, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Thailand which they collaborated virtually to develop a business concept proposal named “SustainTour,” aimed at addressing a United Nations Sustainable Development Goal with limited capital.

Ioakimo Sale Lino, a station officer (SO) at the Samoa Fire and Emergency Services Authority (SFESA) for one year and five months, told Samoa Observer in an interview that this was one of the greatest experiences of his career and would greatly improve his cross-cultural management, peer leadership, and social entrepreneurship skills, assisting him to embark on real-world challenges in a digitally connected global environment.

"This experience marked a significant turn in my career at the fire department and I would not have made it this far without the help and guidance from my superiors and leaders who have all contributed to this success," he said.

Prior to joining SFESA, the 27-year-old held positions as an in-service training officer at the Ministry of Education, Sports, and Culture and a key punch operator at the Samoa Bureau of Statistics for two years concurrently.

In addition to his participation in the Global Enterprise Experience, Kimo has been a successful applicant for the Good Governance Pacific training. 

The training is fully funded and supported by the Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship, which will take place from 26 August to 6 September in Aotearoa, New Zealand.