My first Magazine UNDP REACH Impact Stories v13 web_FNL | Page 18

People with disabilities
encouraged to become more
active through mobile service
delivery
December 2017
Ba, Fiji – “I am going to my farm again,” Merewai
Lewaniekuvu said with a large smile.
She had stopped going to her farm since she developed
her knee pain over the last three years. The pain
discouraged her to walk to and from her farm along the
unpaved path from her village located on the hill and
forced her to stay at home.
Her eyes were lit up when she received the walking cane
and tested it in front of her house. She was visited by the
group of specialists from the Spinal Injury Association
(SIA), a non-governmental organization working in
Fiji, who provides mobility equipment and technical
assistance to people in need of such kind of support.
With the support of the Rights, Empowerment and
Cohesion (REACH) for Rural and Urban Fijians Project,
the expert group visited the remote communities in
mountainous interior of Fiji as part of the REACH mobile
team who conducts awareness raising of the social,
economic and legal rights enshrined in the Constitution
of the Republic of Fiji and delivers associated services on
doorsteps throughout Fiji. The initiative is coordinated
by the Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty
Alleviation, Legal Aid Commission, Human Rights and
We assist people to
regain their mobility
they lost. We encourage
people to walk by
themselves with some
walking aids, so they
stay healthy and active.
Jane Savou,
SIA
Anti-Discrimination Commission and the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) Pacific Office in Fiji.
The access to the government services for the people
in the communities is often challenged by the
geographical location which is quite distant from the
town center where the services and support are being
provided and even if people can travel, often there is
very rough terrain delaying the transportation.
This is more so for people facing limited mobility.
However, due to the REACH mobile service delivery
some of them have recently obtained the technical
advice and walking aids for the first time, and some
obtained readjustment or repair for the maintenance of
their equipment provided earlier.
Merewai was among 222 people (103 women and 119
men) who received the REACH mobile service delivery
during the four-day visit to the interior communities in
Savatu District in Ba Province, Western Division. Among
them 11 people (five women and six men) were directly
assisted by the SIA.
Jane Savou from SIA said, “We assist people to regain
their mobility they lost. We encourage people to walk by
themselves with some walking aids, so they stay healthy
and active.”
“We were able to provide our services to the people who
need mobility assistance but had never been provided
before,” she added.
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IMPACT STORIES Rights, Empowerment and Cohesion (REACH) for Rural and Urban Fijians Project