The head of an NGO in Tonga says she hopes more young women will apply for a new leadership training programme funded by the United Nations.
The Talitha Project founder, Vanessa Heleta, says the three week leadership course will be followed up with ten months of mentoring to help women start up community projects.
She says women aged between 18 and 25 are eligible for the training which offers them a great opportunity to make a difference.
She says women from the outer islands have sent in quality applications for the course but she thinks a lack of self esteem is holding back urban women.
She says it up to the young women themselves to identify what type of community project they would like to focus on.
"It's up to them really but there are a whole lot of issues that have come up. They can do for climate change, environmental problems. And also domestic violence, also teenage pregnancies are on the rise. They can advocate and work for all sorts of issues that they see fit."
Vanessa Heleta says applications need to be with Talitha Project by the end of this month.
