Motivation Australia’s (MA), Larissa Burke visited Samoa in October 2017 to work with stakeholders and a local team to prepare to undertake qualitative interviews with those who have been provided with a prosthetic or long term orthotic from the National…
In recent days, the entire population of 11,600 from Ambae, a small island in Vanuatu, have had to face the reality of leaving their homes, due to an escalating threat of the Monaro volcano erupting. The residents of Ambae do…
MA was pleased to once again work with our partners at the Frank Hilton Organisation to develop their children’s wheelchair services, as part of our Pacific MDS project. The team at FHO provide physiotherapy, hearing and mobility device services for children who attend…
On a trip to Fiji in May, Motivation Australia (MA) had the opportunity to provide basic level wheelchair service training to seventeen personnel from the Fiji Spinal Injuries Association (SIA), Fiji Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS), Frank Hilton…
April saw the launch of Kiribati’s new Diabetic Foot Clinic (DFC) at Tungaru Central Hospital (TCH). Katrina McGrath from Motivation Australia and volunteer Podiatrist Nalini Natesan visited the DFC team in Kiribati to provide on site training and mentoring. DFC…
“I always depend on my husband and other people. Seeing the different devices gives me hope and makes me realise I can do it all myself.” – Participant from the FSM Stakeholder Consultation Workshop In April, MA’s Kylie Mines and…
An important milestone was reached last week in Samoa….the number of clients who have received a wheelchair, walking aid, prosthetic or orthotic device from the newly established Mobility Device Service at TTM hospital in Apia, passed 1,000! Congratulations to the Samoan…
Katrina McGrath from Motivation Australia (MA) traveled to Fiji in February this year. During her visit she accompanied Spinal Injuries Association (SIA) Mobility Device Service (MDS) personnel on follow up visits to six clients (four men, two women). These clients…
Katrina McGrath from Motivation Australia (MA) joined volunteers from the International Society of Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO) Australian National Member Society Outreach Committee (ISPO Outreach) in presenting a 3 day Instructional Course for High Risk Foot Management in the Pacific. The course provided…
Motivation Australia is pleased to announce the beginning of a new project with partners in the Federated States of Micronesia’s (FSM) Department of Health and Social Affairs (DHSA) to: Analyse the current system of Assistive Technology (AT) service provision in FSM…
Katrina from Motivation Australia (MA) visited Vanuatu in January to provide mentoring and support in the provision of wheelchair services to service partners at Vanuatu Society of Persons with Disabilities (VSPD), Ministry of Health (MOH), Ministry of Justice and Community…
From 26th January – 14th February 2017 Ray Mines and Lauren Flaherty were in Honiara (The Solomon Islands) delivering the Intermediate level, WHO Wheelchair Service Training (WSTP-I) for fourteen trainees from three countries. The young girl pictured above was one of 16 people (8…
Motivation Australia warmly welcomes Mere Roden into the position of Executive Officer of our partners, the Spinal Injuries Association (SIA). Joshco Wakaniyasi, Executive Director since 2008 is taking a well-earned break; having led the SIA through a solid period of…
The Samoan National Health Service’s Mobility Device Service (MDS) will take another big step forward in the New Year with the much anticipated launch of Prosthetics and Orthotics services! The end of November saw a surge of activity with the…
Motivation Australia was recently invited by the Ministry of Health (MOH) to carry out a rapid assessment and detailed project design for Mobility Device Services to be established by the Government of the Kingdom of Tonga with funding from the…
Earlier this year Marjolein Wiegman, from the University of Twente in the Netherlands joined Motivation Australia as an intern to undertake research into the ‘Costs and benefits of the Diabetic Foot Clinic in Samoa’. The research demonstrated that care provided by…
Motivation Australia and the Spinal Injuries Association of Fiji have now completed our trial of urinary management products in Fiji. Our evaluation of the trial included interviews with participants and key stakeholders involved in the project. Overall, the monthly supply…
Motivation Australia is currently working in partnership with the Rehabilitation Division of the Ministry of Health and Medical Services in the Solomon Islands to provide technical support in strengthening their mobility device services. The Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) Unit has…
Lauren and Ray from Motivation Australia conducted a one week rapid assessment of the current status of diabetic foot care at Tungaru Central Hospital (TCH) in Kiribati. MA have been working with the Tungaru Rehabilitation Service (TRS) at the same…
During our July in-country visit to Vanuatu, Motivation Australia had the opportunity to provide basic level wheelchair service delivery training to eight personnel from the Vanuatu Society for People with a Disability (VSPD), the Ministry of Justice and Community Services…