Harry James Olikwailafa

Harry James is passionate about creating initiatives to ensure, enable and empower young people to become good citizens, with change starting within communities and giving hope to lives. Currently, Harry is the elected President of the Honiara Urban Youth Council newly formed in 2011, and also now the Vice Chair of the Pacific Youth Council a Regional Youth led Organization that represent the all National Youth Councils in the Pacific region and  the Commonwealth Youth programme Regional Youth Caucus member for Solomon Islands.   

Prior to this, he worked as a Technical Youth volunteer in various programs and activities of Government ministries and departments, NGOs and local youth groups. Through his contribution to the youth development in Pacific region he was honor to receive an Award from the Deputy Secretary General of Commonwealth, Mrs. Mmasekgoa Masire- Mwamba at the 8th Commonwealth Youth Minister’s Meeting in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. He also a Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award Recipient after received his Award from HRH Prince of Cambridge, Prince William during his Queen Diamond jubilee visit to Solomon Islands on September 2012. He was also a regional finalist of the Commonwealth Youth Award 2014 and the Solomon Islands National Youth Award 2014 for his leadership and community work. Currently he undertakes studies at the University of South Pacific, Solomon Islands campus doing Bachelor of Arts, double major in Politics and Public Administration. Harry is the former CYC Regional Representative for the Pacific.

He was also recently elected as a Youth Board Member on the Board of Development Service Exchange the umbrella body Non-government Organisations in Solomon Islands. With his involvement with Development Service Exchange on Anti-corruption Campaign using petition to bring back the anti-corruption bill into parliament after it was withdrawn by parliamentarian.  

He plays a significant role on mobilizing young people by using his networks in the communities to collect 1500 signatures of the 4000 signatures collected for the petition. Which result in the anti-corruption bill going to be tabled again in the parliament in July 2018.