Greenlandic teen goes to sea

Greenland’s shipping company, the Arctic Umiaq Line, is helping a Greenlandic teen live a better life, the company’s on-board magazine Kisaq reports.

Esajas, the young man in question, had been taken in by Nuuk’s Matu project, which runs a program to help the children of troubled parents get back on the right track. Esajas entered Matu as a 14-year-old after a troubled childhood in his home town of Illoqqortoormiut.

In Nuuk Esajas attended school and was involved in many sports.

A skilled athlete, he competed in the Arctic Circle Race, the Adventure Race in South Greenland and Nuuk’s Marathon. However, after four years, Greenland’s social services had to return Esajas to his home town on the east coast – and back to the troubled environment he had been taken away from.

Arctic Umiaq Line stepped in, hired Esajas, gave him training and now employs him on one of the company’s vessels.