Development assistance in the Pacific
Overview
Australia Awards Pacific Scholarships (AAPS) provides opportunities to Pacific island recipients to study at selected Pacific regional institutions outside Australia.
AAPS continues to be a vital part of regional development and cooperation. The program develops leadership potential and stimulates lasting change by empowering a global network of talented individuals.
Through quality and relevant education in the Pacific, recipients return home with new skills, ideas, and knowledge, to make a significant contribution as leaders in their respective fields.
Profile: Ioane Hawaii
Australia Awards Pacific Scholarships (AAPS) alumnus Ioane Hawaii completed a Bachelor of Commerce with double majors in Economics, Management and Public Administration from the University of the South Pacific (USP) in 2022. A proud Tuvaluan who developed a disability in his early years, Ioane’s brave journey to overcome barriers and achieve academic success, is nothing short of inspiring.
Diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy, the progressive weakness and loss of muscle mass in Ioane’s legs worsened over time, causing him to lose the ability to stand or walk without support. Despite these challenges, Ioane’s mother ensured he continued his education, often carrying him to school to ensure he maintained his attendance.
Steadfast support from family and friends motivated him to learn, and Ioane’s interest in pursuing Economics as a qualification, was motivated by his interest in learning how to use and develop the scarce resources of his small island home.
The opportunity to further his studies in this field was realised when he was granted an AAPS award, to pursue his diploma and undergraduate degree consecutively at the USP Laucala campus in Fiji.
Ioane’s qualifications, through the AAPS program, helped boost his voluntary experience to land his current role as the Banking Commission Officer (Public Enterprise Reform Management Unit) at the Ministry of Finance in Tuvalu. He credits a big part of his academic success in tertiary education, to the support provided through USP’s disability resource centre and the Australia Awards team in Fiji.
Ioane said ‘the study experience at USP has been a big eye-opener in my leadership journey, academic and workplace skills development. With the knowledge I gained I hope to assist the government of Tuvalu address challenges in the banking sector and contribute to its human resource development needs’.
Ioane remains a passionate advocate for the fundamental rights of children with disabilities to access education and the need for specialised interventions and support tailored to specific disabilities. His story of endurance despite various challenges, reminds us that there is hope for all individuals, if given the opportunity to overcome barriers and thrive.