Australia Awards South and West Asia

Ahead of International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3 December, we highlight the recent experience in Australia of two disability advocates from Maldives. Australia Awards – South Asia & Mongolia supported Fathimath Ibrahim and Ashfa Hamdi to take part in a 10-day professional development opportunity in South Australia at the end of November. During the visit, they learnt how different sectors in Australia work together with people with disability to provide the best outcomes for the people for whom they are providing services. Activities included site visits, presentations from government agencies and non-government organisations, and meetings with local people with disability.

Fathimath and Ashfa were among a group of 11 participants representing five countries. All participants were chosen on the basis of being people working in policy and advocacy within the disability sector in their home country. Fathimath is a Disability Representative on the Maldives Disability Council, where she is responsible for advocating for the community’s concerns within that group and for raising awareness among government bodies. Ashfa is a Senior Social Protection Officer in the Disability Rights and Wellbeing Section of Maldives’ Ministry of Social and Family Development. Her work includes facilitating access to disability allowance and other social protection schemes, and advising government institutions and private bodies on their obligations under disability-related legislation.

The two Maldivian participants travelled to Adelaide, South Australia, on Wednesday 20 November. Fathimath, who has blindness, was accompanied by Mohamed Ibrahim as her carer. From 21 November to 30 November, Australia Awards facilitated a diverse series of learning opportunities for all 11 representatives from South Asia. With more than a full week of activities, there was much for Fathimath and Ashfa to digest and learn from.

Fathimath (second from right, front row) and Ashfa (fifth from right, back row) with other program participants at the Glenelg Community Centre with representatives of the City of Holdfast Bay.

One highlight was a visit to Glenthorne National Park on Thursday 21 November to observe the accessible nature playspace, accessible bathroom and Changing Place facility jointly funded by Commonwealth, state and local governments. Changing Places facilities offer the highest level of accessibility to ensure people with disability with complex needs have access to safe, suitable and specialised bathroom facilities in their community.

Friday 22 November involved a full day of learning about disability and community inclusion at Flinders University, including the accessible campus facilities and the relevant degrees and research that the university supports, while Tuesday 26 November saw an extensive review of facilities in the beachside suburbs of Glenelg and North Brighton, such as accessible beach equipment (including beach wheelchairs), a Changing Places facility at Bouchee Walk, Minda social enterprise INC Cafe (an inclusive venue that provides employment for people of all abilities and caters to different dietary needs) and community garden, and accessibility innovations at Glenelg Library.

Fathimath experimenting with a floating beach wheelchair at Glenelg Beach assisted by a staff member of Estara, a disability support service.

A significant element of the experience in Australia involved the participants learning about Australia’s National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), which funds reasonable and necessary supports associated with significant and permanent disability for people under 65 years old. The group took part in site visits to VIVA Mutual and Community Bridging Services, two Adelaide-based registered NDIS providers. Participants learnt about how both organisations were helping to empower people with disability to be economically independent through social entrepreneurship.

On Wednesday 27 November, the participants engaged with First Nations culture, with a cultural tour of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens, led by Keneifa Hayes, an Arrernte man and Cultural Officer with Southern Cultural Immersion.

The following day, the group received a showroom tour at NovitaTech, Australia’s largest assistive technology retailer. The company supports people with disability to achieve their personal goals through its role as a leading provider of assistive technology equipment, mobility products and daily living aids. The group examined the range of products that assist individuals to move, communicate, play, learn, work and participate in the community.

On the evening of Friday 29 November, the participants enjoyed a cultural experience in the form of AMPLIFY 2024!, a production of three new theatre pieces from important South Australian theatre company No Strings Attached Theatre of Disability. Presented at the State Opera Rehearsal Studio and including audio description for the visually impaired, AMPLIFY 2024! brings 35 disabled performers together to celebrate International Day of Persons with Disabilities. This annual end-of-year performance sees the theatre ensemble devise new works out of their performers’ own thoughts, ideas and creativity.

In the morning of Saturday 30 November, the group visited the Adelaide Kids & Youth Disability Expo at Netball SA Stadium in Mile End, west of the city. The event showcases some of Australia’s most innovative products and services available for young people with disability. The expo offers interactive displays and lots of family fun, as well as providing information that allows young people with disability, their families and their carers to make informed choices about the support network available to them.

Ashfa (left) with a fellow APO participant from India embrace a Bottle Tree at the Adelaide Botanic Gardens.

Finally, on Sunday 1 December, the participants concluded their educational visit and flew back to their home countries, full of new perspectives that they can bring to bear in their advocacy roles back home.

Before heading back home, Faithimath spoke highly about how the various sessions had exceeded her expectations. “I enjoyed all the activities, but the ones that stood out were the visits to Community Bridging Services, Viva Mutual, and Glenelg, a panel discussion on the Paralympics and Special Olympics, as well as the day spent at Flinders University,” she says. Understanding what has and hasn’t worked in Australia will allow her to share valuable insights in Maldives and pursue new ideas.

“I am keen to open a disability hub in Malé. I would like to establish a community garden in Malé similar to the one I saw at Minda, where a person using a wheelchair could even volunteer to tend to plants. The wheelchair ramp to the beach is another thing I would like to implement back home, along with accessible public toilets, at least in the capital city,” she says.

Fathimath and her support person Mohamed Ibrahim in the Minda community garden.

Ashfa was looking forward to using her new insights and networks to strengthen the activities of the Ministry of Social and Family Development. “The Ministry has a couple of projects lined up, including an empowerment hub for people with disability. Visiting organisations like Minda where training, respite and community participation for persons with disabilities are conducted, opened the line of communication between us to exchange information and ideas to assist us with implementation.” she says.

Ashfa previously studied in Australia, but her role at the Ministry means she now has a better understanding of the current state of disability services and inclusion in Maldives. This means she’s better placed to take what she has learnt from this visit and use it back home to benefit people with disability there.

“I learnt that all the good practices here did not happen overnight, but everyone is working together. We need to persevere. We need training and capacity building, so hopefully the connections I have made will assist us to make that happen.”

All told, the professional development opportunity aligned strongly with the theme for this year’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities: ‘Amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future’. Alongside the rest of the participants, these two Maldivian disability champions have expanded their knowledge and skills. We look forward to seeing what they achieve next!