Because of you, the very first in-person prosthetics and orthotics mentoring workshop in Kiribati has taken place. For the first time, an experienced Orthotist and a Prosthetist from Australia met clinicians from Kiribati and Tonga face-to-face after months of online mentoring and training.
The hands-on workshop was invaluable for the clinicians. While the online workshops were vital to their education, the in-person meeting gave them the opportunity to consolidate their learning in a practical environment. Together, they worked through real cases, shared ideas, and explored new techniques that many of the local clinicians had never had access to before.
The impact was immediate. “Working alongside experienced professionals gave me confidence in my clinical decision making,” said Martha, a prosthetist and orthotist from Tonga. “Sharing cases and seeing different perspectives helped improve my approach.”
The enthusiasm was unmistakable. Every participant of the workshop gained a boost in both skills and confidence. The Australian mentors often saw them teaching and practising with each other long after the day’s training had ended.
Beyond the technical skills, the workshop opened up important conversations about the challenges they face, like limited hospital support and few opportunities for technicians to advance their skills. By creating this safe space, mentors and mentees could problem-solve together and build stronger professional bonds.
The clinicians involvement in the workshop also showed them how they could strengthen their overall rehabilitation process in Kiribati. Their new skills will help their patients benefit from better long-term rehabilitation and recovery.
This is the ripple effect of your generosity. You’re not just helping one individual today, you’re helping build a stronger, sustainable healthcare system in countries like Kiribati, where children and adults can gain independence and mobility through specialist care. Thank you for helping make this world-first workshop possible.
If you would like to help support ongoing training and workshops for clinicians in Asia and the Pacific region please donate here.
