Vosa

In our final episode of season 3 we talanoa with George Fong and Ana Tupou Panuve. They are business owners who are contributing to our Pacific Potential. Ana is the owner of the small business 'Bunny's Backyard' based in Tonga. A mother and daughter duo who have taken their love of gardening from their backyard to now offering up a variety of veggies to fruits, microgreens and foliage plants. George is the co - founder of Fijian software company 'Infinity Plus One' and the brains behind Fiji's new ticketing platform, Ticketmax Fiji. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In August Tonga played host for the 53rd Pacific Island Forum Leaders meeting and the Mama T's were able to talk to some remarkable women leaders. In this episode, the Mama T's talanoa with the honorable Afioga Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa the first woman Prime Minister of Samoa, Dr. Hilda C Heine the first woman President of the Marshall Islands and the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland, Kings Council, the first woman and 6th Commonwealth Secretary-General. These phenomenal women share their wisdom, affirmations and the importance of women supporting women.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode we take a deep dive into human rights in the Pacific and talk with the people leading the way for the progress of human rights in the region. We talanoa with human rights activist and lawyer Romulo Nacayalevu pursuing his PhD at ANU and Neomai Maravuakula, Team Leader Governance & Institutional Strengthening. We cover human rights conventions and laws across the Pacific as well as the importance of National Human Rights Institutions and it's pivotal role in advocating human rights in Pacific communities. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does climate action look like in the Pacific? The Mama T's try to unpack this question with Fiji's Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Dr. Sivendra Michael about policy, funding and his personal leadership journey into the climate action space and they talanoa with Dr. Elizabeth Fitton - Higgons who shares the work Habitat for Humanity NZ is doing for housing those in the Pacific who are vulnerable due to disasters. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Mama T's talanoa with 3 returnees who are navigating life back in their island home and the challenges they face. We talk to Charlene Wolfgram Matangi, Vivili Moala and Latu Liava'a, returnees who share their stories of disconnection with their home when they first arrived and how they're working through the Amanaki Lelei Foundation (Dare to Dream) an organisation founded by returnees who aim to assist returnees in acclimating to life in Tonga. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode the Mama T's talanoa with Pacific Changemakers who have been behind some of the big changes and shifts in our region.  We talk to Stanley Simpson (Fiji), Karla Eggleton (Cook Islands) and Angeline Heine Reimers (Marshall Islands) about their respective journeys to implementing change for media freedom, LGBTQI rights and clean water for all in the Pacific. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Mama T's talanoa with two of our Pacific Ocean champions, Rose Kautoke and Bill Waqalevu.  Bill is Senior Researcher (PhD) at Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue in Abu Dhabi and Rose Kautoke, Senior Crown Counsel, Head of the Legal Advice and International Law Division, Attorney General's Office and ocean law advocate.  They share insights into the work they do in policy and science for our oceans and navigating leadership roles in those spaces.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vosa is back and with new hosts for Season 3. Join the Mama T's - Trina and Talita - as they explore Pacific leadership with Ana Laqeretabua (Fiji), Jamal Talagi (Niue) and Amelia Katoa (Tonga).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode we explore the sacred and - oftentimes intimidating - world of rituals and the relationship they have with our identities as Pacific people.  Our two amazing episode 10 guests guide us through this final episode of VOSA Season 2 -  Wendy Mocke is a Papua New Guinean inter-disciplinary storyteller, a NIDA Acting graduate, Wendy has performed across stages in Australia and appeared in films and television. Our second guest Akanisi Nabalarua-Vakawaletabua of Fiji is a lawyer and lecturer of Business Law at the School of Accounting at the University of the South Pacific.  If you'd like to learn more about the brilliant projects that Wendy and Akanisi are a part of, check out the links below: Wendy Mocke Wendy was a member of the emerging writers group at Sydney Theatre Company and this year her play 'I am Kegu' was shortlisted for the Patrick White Playwrights award. She has completed writing residencies at Griffin Theatre Company and Darlinghurst Theatre where she developed her stage plays 'Jalbu Meri' and 'REALish'. Wendy's visual art's project called ‘m e r i', a collection of photographs and stories focuses on the recontextualising of contemporary PNG women, was exhibited last year at North Site Contemporary Arts Gallery (Cairns) and this year at Brisbane Powerhouse (Brisbane).  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wendy.mocke Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melaninhaus/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/WendyMocke Akanisi Nabalarua-Vakawaletabua  Akanisi has worked as a lawyer and lecturer traversing the world of private practice and academia engaging her legal research and advocacy skills as an iTaukei female lawyer and teacher in Fiji. Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/akanisi_reads/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/akanisi411 Do you want to be involved in Vosa's next season? Listen in for details at the end of the episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode we're delving into all things technology and connectivity. The ways in which we are using technology to address everyday challenges, how technology is helping us preserve our ways of life and keeping us connected, and asking ourselves how we can best use it to safely and inclusively benefit our communities.  We hear from: Sarai Tevita, ICT Director for National University of Samoa, Selu Kauvaka an information technology professional, who works with the E-Government initiative under the Prime Minister's office in Tonga and Falaoa Sione of Tuvalu, who is Director of Trade. As always, this episode is supported by the World Bank in the Pacific and PNG.  The World Bank has also been a big supporter of increasing connectivity with projects across the region being instrumental in building faster, more reliable, and more affordable internet access.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, each of our guests has a story to share about how families and communities found ways to stay connected and how we might take some of that learning with us into the future. We hear from: Jeffry Feeger of Papua New Guinea, Ann Singeo of Palau, Dr Fotu Fisi'iahi of Tonga, and Epeli Tuibeqa of Fiji.  You can find out more about our guests here: JEFFRY FEEGER'S ART https://www.facebook.com/jeffryfeegerart EBIIL SOCIETY OF PALAU https://www.ebiilsociety.org/ EPELI TUIBEQA  https://www.facebook.com/kuivitipacificfj/ https://www.instagram.com/kuiviti_pacific/?hl=en    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Vosa we speak with some of the Pacific's most spirited changemakers. Our young people. 'Ana Malia Falemaka of Tonga, Yasmin Poole of Australia, Nelson Kokoa of PNG and Elizabeth Kite of Tonga share with us their vision for their communities in 2035 and what they think it will take to get us there.  Young people from all over the world are taking their voices to the World Bank Group Youth Summit on 26-27 of May and you can join them virtually by registering via the link provided below.  TALITHA PROJECT https://www.facebook.com/TalithaProjectTonga/  https://www.instagram.com/talithatonga/ TAKE THE LEAD TONGA https://www.facebook.com/TakeTheLeadTonga/ https://www.instagram.com/takethelead_tonga/?hl=en https://www.taketheleadtonga.org/  THE VOICE INC PNG https://www.thevoicepng.org/  https://www.facebook.com/CleanGenerationCampaign/  https://www.instagram.com/thevoiceinc/  https://twitter.com/thevoiceincpng  WORLD BANK GROUP YOUTH SUMMIT https://wbgyouthsummit.wufoo.com/forms/s1ikdovf04zpqml/   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode is about the hustle. We speak with Pacific women entrepreneurs and business founders who share their experiences of starting something new, stepping into uncertainty, choosing a path less travelled and reflecting on what it has taken for their ventures to survive the ups and downs of business, including the pandemic. VOSA speaks with Shelley Burich of Samoa, Vani Nades of Papua New Guinea, and Kitiana Chute of Fiji.   EmStret Holdings Limited - https://www.facebook.com/emstret Vaoala Vanilla - https://www.facebook.com/vaoalavanilla/ LeaderHive Coaching - https://www.facebook.com/LeaderHive-Coaching-100133955123397/ Pacific Trade Invest - https://pacifictradeinvest.com/  The World Bank Pacific - https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/pacificislands See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode, we celebrate International Women's Day, encouraging conversations across generations, across the ocean, across different stages of life and careers. VOSA speaks with Rhea Moss-Christian of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Vinzealhar Nen of Papua New Guinea. For more on how the World Bank in the Pacific is marking International Women's Day 2022, visit their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/worldbankpacific/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Vosa, we share voices from our oceanic region, reminding us of our connection to the ocean and all the ways in which Pacific people are working to protect and preserve it. Guests this episode include: Masio Nadung of PNG, Mathew Chigiyal of the Federated States of Micronesia, Dr Katy Soapi of Solomon Islands, Dr Frances Koya-Vaka'uta of Fiji, Kalena Kattil-deBrum of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Alisi Rabukawaqa of Fiji, Kalani Reyes of the Marianas, and Pacific leaders voicing the Declaration on the Preservation of Maritime Boundaries in the Face of Climate Change and Sea-Level Rise.   PACIFIC VOICES - MANA MOANAhttps://www.manamoana.co.nz/pacificvoices/ PACIFIC LEADERS DECLARATION ON PRESERVING MARITIME ZONES IN THE FACE OF CLIMATE CHANGE-RELATED SEA-LEVEL RISEhttps://www.forumsec.org/2021/08/11/declaration-on-preserving-maritime-zones-in-the-face-of-climate-change-related-sea-level-rise/ PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM SECRETARIAT - COP26 SEA LEVEL RISE DECLARATIONhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4tj0I2LruI CELEBRATING THE 20TH MARITIME BOUNDARIES SESSIONhttps://www.spc.int/updates/news/speeches/2021/11/celebrating-the-20th-maritime-boundaries-session  REIMAANLOK - THE FUTURE OF COMMUNITY-LED OCEAN CONSERVATION IN MARSHALL ISLANDShttps://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2021/11/17/-reimaanlok-the-future-of-community-led-ocean-conservation-in-marshall-islands DEEP PACIFIC PODCAST - DEEP DIVES INTO PACIFIC ISSUEShttp://deeppacific.org/ WORLD BANKhttps://blogs.worldbank.org/climatechange/sea-level-rise-legal-implications-island-states https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2021/10/05/legal-implications-of-sea-level-rise-for-small-island-states-explored-in-new-world-bank-study SPC - THE PACIFIC WAY PODCASThttps://www.spc.int/taxonomy/term/1547 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vosa hears Pacific perspectives on parenthood, its joys and challenges, and the various ways in which parents are nurturing their children in a changing world. Listeners and guests reflect on their dreams for their children. This episode's guests include: Reverend James Bhagwan of the Pacific Conference of Churches, Solomon Islands journalist Georgina Kekea, community educator Latu To'omaga, and Guilaine Nauni and Irene Abbock rejoin us from Vanuatu. LATU TO'OMAGA: https://www.latu.ninja/about  WORLD BANK - HUMAN CAPITAL IN THE PACIFIC AND PAPUA NEW GUINEAhttps://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2019/11/07/human-capital-in-the-pacific-islands-and-papua-new-guinea See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vosa discusses sex and relationships in its second episode of season two. Host Mere Nailatikau hears from a diverse group of guests on this topic: including UNAIDS Pacific Country Director Renata Ram, teen sexual health program director Todd Mulroy of the Marshall Islands, trained counsellor and sexual health advocate Jana Ali-Traill of Fiji, and Irene Abbock and Guilaine Nauni of feminist NGO Sista in Vanuatu. For additional resources and information on sex and relationships: UNAIDS Pacific & UNAIDS Asia Pacific https://unaids-ap.org https://www.facebook.com/UNAIDSPacific IPPF Asia & Pacific: https://www.ippfeseaor.org Ministry of Health & Medical Services, Fiji: https://www.health.gov.fj/hivaids/ Sexual & Reproductive Health Clinic, Fiji: https://www.facebook.com/Sexual-Reproductive-Health-Clinic-2226438981006260 Youth to Youth in Health - Marshall Islands https://www.facebook.com/rmiy2y Sista, Vanuatu Phone: +678 538 3559 Email: sistavanuatu2021@gmail.com  https://www.facebook.com/sistavanuatu https://www.instagram.com/sista_vanuatu/ Vanuatu Women's Centre: 151 Medical Services Pacific (SRHR and counselling) 1325 (Child Help Line - toll free 24/7) Clinic Numbers Suva: 4502907 Lautoka: 6660595 Labasa: 8811308 Email: info@msp.org.fj Reproductive and Family Health Association of Fiji - RFHAF (SRHR and counselling) Number: 2929549 / 3306175 Lifeline Fiji (Counselling) Short code toll free - 1543 Empower Pacific (Counselling) Short Code - 5626 Fiji Women's Crisis Centre - FWCC (Counselling) Domestic Violence Helpline: 1560 Counselling Line (24 hours) - 3313 300 / 9209470 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vosa is back for season two and this first episode celebrates Pacific creativity. Host Mere Nailatikau speaks to filmmaker Meli Tuqota, singer songwriter Mia Kami, poet Craig Santos Perez, and designer and fashion entrepreneur Annette Sete. Explore more from each of these amazing talents via the links below: Meli Toqota Website: https://tuqota.com/  Soli Bula Film: @solibulafilm (Twitter, IG), https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1898983058/soli-bula-an-indigenous-animated-short-film Mia Kami https://linktr.ee/miakami  Craig Santos Perez http://craigsantosperez.com/ Annette Sete Lavagirl: https://www.facebook.com/Lavagirlltd/ Maku Gifts: https://www.facebook.com/makugifts/  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're excited to announce that season 2 of Vosa is launching on Friday 26 November with new host Mere Nailatikau. We have so many great stories to share over the coming months so please keep an eye out for new shows each fortnight.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to Episode 10 of Vosa. This week's talanoa focuses on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex (LGBTQI) rights, advocacy and acceptance in Pacific communities. LGBTQI is an acronym for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, and Intersex. This is a non-exhaustive list of terms, as different cultures, both historically as well as today, have used diverse language to express the wide range of sexual orientations and gender expressions. LGBTQI people are entitled to the enjoyment of all the rights outlined in international, regional and domestic human rights law, however LGBTQI persons continue to face obstacles relating to their rights, including their right to social protection. In this episode I speak to two incredible guests from Fiji and Vanuatu who have made it their life's work to advocate for LGBTQI rights. We hear from Sulique Waqa, Founder of the Haus of Khameleon, Creative Director and Lifetime Board Member, and Gigi Baxter, Founder of VPride Organisation. As always, I hope you enjoy the episode. We would love to hear your thoughts and feedback on this episode. You can find us on social media via Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Thanks for tuning in, we look forward to sharing more episodes with you soon. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vosapodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vosapodcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/vosapodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to Episode 9 of Vosa. This week we bring you a special episode on the Covid-19 vaccine rollout in the Pacific region, brought to you by two podcasts - Vosa, supported by the World Bank in the Pacific and Papua New Guinea, and Contain This from the Australian Government's Indo-Pacific Centre for Health Security. This episode will be published across these two great programs.  In this episode, we'll speak with Will Genia, Australian Rugby Union Player and UNICEF Ambassador, Dr Edith Kariko, World Bank Senior Health Specialist in PNG, and Francyne Jacklick-Wase, Deputy Secretary, Office of Health Planning, Policy Preparedness and Epidemiology in the Ministry of Health and Human Services. Together, we'll look at what the vaccine means for the Pacific region, and what it means for each of our guests personally.  As always, I hope you enjoy the episode, and be sure to check out Contain This. Find the link below.  We would love to hear your thoughts and feedback on this episode. You can find us on social media via Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vosapodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vosapodcast Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/vosapodcast Links: Contain This: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/contain-this-the-latest-in-global-health-security/id1490380806 WHO PNG: https://www.who.int/papuanewguinea PNG Government's Niupela Pasin guidelines: https://covid19.info.gov.pg/files/July%202020/07072020/Niupela%20Pasin%20%20Transition%20to%20Normal%20handbook.pdf   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to Episode 8 of Vosa. This week's talanoa focuses on Sports and the role it plays in creating healthier and happier Pacific communities. In this episode I speak to three amazing guests from around the Pacific who have extensive experience in the world of combining sports and positive societal change. We hear from Kevin Naiqama, Fijian Rugby League player and Captain of the Fijian Bati, Jacqui Joseph, co-founder and CEO of Papua New Guinea's Equal Playing Field, and Pesi Palu, the Communications and Health Lead for physical activity campaign Kau Mai Tonga.  As always, I hope you enjoy the episode. We would love to hear your thoughts and feedback on this episode. You can find us on social media via Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Thanks for tuning in, we look forward to sharing more episodes with you soon. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vosapodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vosapodcast  Twitter: https://twitter.com/vosapodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to our second episode, celebrating International Women's Day! In our last episode, we were joined by women leaders from across the Pacific, and today, we are fortunate to have two amazing pioneers from Papua New Guinea. Today on Vosa, I'm honoured to share a talanoa with Dr Pamela Toliman and Emma Watkpi. Dr Pamela Toliman was recently awarded a PhD from her research undertaken through the Kirby Institute at the University of New South Wales. Her thesis looked at innovative approaches for cervical cancer screening in Papua New Guinea, where cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in women.  Emma Watkpi is a leading social entrepreneur and a community development specialist in Papua New Guinea. Emma's background is in Health, and more recently, she has been working on Jiwaka Coffee, a social enterprise in Kukpa Village in Jiwaka province, a region the represents 85% of PNG's coffee producers. The goal of the enterprise is to positively impact 7,000 households in the next 7 years through ethical coffee. We would love to hear your thoughts and feedback on this episode. You can find us on social media via Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Thanks for tuning in, we look forward to sharing more episodes with you soon. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vosapodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vosapodcast  Twitter: https://twitter.com/vosapodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the lead up to International Women's Day this year, we at Vosa are calling out and celebrating some of our amazing women leaders in the Pacific. The theme for International Women's Day set by the United Nations this year is women in leadership, achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world. While we deeply appreciate the contributions and achievements of women, each and every day, this annual commemoration gives us an opportunity to celebrate women and raise awareness about the issues that affect us. Today on Vosa, we are honoured to share a talanoa with three incredible women leaders from across the Pacific. Kitlang Kabua, a Marshallese politician joins us today. She was only 28 at the time of her election, making her the youngest person ever elected in the Marshall Islands. She is also the second woman to be elevated along with former President Hilda Heine. Kitlang is currently the Minister of Education, Sports and Training. We are also joined by Shalom Akao Waita, a former Solomon Islands Basketball and Netball International, and is now the first female chief executive of the Pacific Games Organising Committee. They are now overseeing preparations for the 2023 games. We are also joined by Captain Selai Saumi, the first-ever female Fijian captain of an airline when she assumed command of Fiji Airways jet fleet in 2015. We would love to hear your thoughts and feedback on this episode. You can find us on social media via Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Thanks for tuning in, we look forward to sharing more episodes with you soon. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vosapodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vosapodcast  Twitter: https://twitter.com/vosapodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to Episode 5 of Vosa.  How often do you walk away from watching a performance that has really made you think - hmmm, maybe I should or could do something differently? In the Pacific, artists have spent generations making us think and reflect on our own behaviour and cultural norms, and more recently, development organisations have partnered with them to enable people to act on these shifts in their thinking and behaviours, to create long term, and sustainable change. Today, we discuss all of this! Joining us today is Jo Dorras, writer and co-founder/director of Wan Smol Bag, and actress Helen Kailo from Wan Smol Bag's TV series, Love Patrol. Wan Smol Bag started as a community theatre group in 1989, and has since been funded by government agencies and development organisations, and has produced countless shows and films. Also joining us is Sachiko Soro, director, composer and choreographer of Vou, a Fiji based, independent performance dance company, that has performed hundreds of shows in the Pacific and abroad. Vou blends traditional and modern Fijian dance, with young artists at the helm of producing the messages of challenge and change through these creative mediums. Last but not the least, we are joined by Vika Raica Waradi, a Communications Consultant at The World Bank. Vika has fourteen years of experience in communications for development in the Pacific, particularly when it comes to partnering with Pacific artists to support positive and sustainable change in our communities.    We would love to hear your thoughts and feedback on this episode. You can find us on social media via Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Thanks for tuning in, we look forward to sharing more episodes with you soon. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vosapodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vosapodcast  Twitter: https://twitter.com/vosapodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to Episode 4 of Vosa. Today's talanoa will focus on connectivity and the improvements that greater internet access over the years has allowed for people in the Pacific and PNG. I speak to Shivnesh Prasad, Digital Development Specialist at the World Bank, who sets the scene on the evolution of connectivity in our region. Also joining us today is Crystal Kewe,  a self-taught software engineer and co-founder of Crysan Technology, on how improved connectivity has created unique opportunities in her life. Lastly, we are joined by Kalolaine Uechtritz Fainu, the founder of the Pasifika Film Festival, to discuss how connectivity has allowed films and digital content to be shared throughout regional and remote areas of the Pacific and PNG. We would love to hear your thoughts and feedback on this episode. You can find us on social media via Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Thanks for tuning in, we look forward to sharing more episodes with you soon. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vosapodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vosapodcast  Twitter: https://twitter.com/vosapodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to Episode 3 of Vosa. While today's talanoa is titled, ‘Livelihoods', we focus on the resilience and ingenuity of Pacific and PNG people in the face of economic struggle, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. We don't shy away from the challenges that are being faced, and at the same time, we celebrate the strengths that are unique to our people, and that have sustained us through these difficult times.        Today we're joined by Marlene Dutta co-founder of the Better for Barter Fiji Facebook page, Lydia Dimokari, Senior Project Coordinator at the Kokoda Track Foundation, and Liz Pechan, founder and co-owner of the multi-award-winning resort The Havannah Vanuatu. We would love to hear your thoughts and feedback on this episode. You can find us on social media via Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Thanks for tuning in, we look forward to sharing more episodes with you soon. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vosapodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vosapodcast  Twitter: https://twitter.com/vosapodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to Episode 2 of Vosa. In this episode, we focus on domestic violence against women, following the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. We have specifically chosen to share this talanoa during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence Campaign, which started on 25 November and ends on 10 December 2020. Please scroll down to the end for more information if you find the content of this episode distressing, or if you would simply like to know how you can help.  Today we are joined by Reverend James Bhagwan, General Secretary for Pacific Conference of Churches in Fiji; Evonne Kennedy from the PNG Business Coalition for Women; and Yasmine Bjornum, the Founder and Executive Director of Sista Magazine, a charitable association for women and girls in Vanuatu.  We would love to hear your thoughts and feedback on this episode. You can find us on social media via Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Thanks for tuning in, we look forward to sharing more episodes with you soon. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vosapodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vosapodcast  Twitter: https://twitter.com/vosapodcast Papua New Guinea Tok Kaunselin Helpim Lain, Tel. 715-08000 Femili PNG, Tel. +675 7091 7031 Fiji Fiji Women's Crisis Centre (FWCC) Domestic violence helpline number: 1560 (free 24hr)  Phone number: 3313300 (24hr) Mobile: 9209470 (24hr) Kiribati Domestic Violence and Sexual offenses unit, Tel 26187 (Tarawa) Kiribati Women and Children support Centre (KWCSC), Tel 191 (Tarawa) Marshall Islands Weto in Mour (Women United Together Marshall Islands), Tel +692 625 5290 Micronesia, Federated States of  Chuuk Women's Council, web: http://www.cwcfiinchuuk.org/ Shinobu M. Poll Memorial Center, Nepukos Village, Weno Island, Chuuk State, Tel. +691 330-5263 Nauru Eoag'n Ratequo/House to Strangers (Women's Safe House), Tel. (674) 5573032 Nauru National Council of Women, Tel +674 444-3883 Palau Belau Women's Resource Center, Tel. (680) 767-2452 Samoa Samoa Victim Support Group (SVSG), Tel. (685) 800-7874. Family Haven for domestic Violence, Tel. (685)22640 Solomon Islands Empower Pacific (Solomon Islands Counselling Centre), Tel. +677 30065 Family Support Centre Honiara, Tel, +677 26999 Tonga Tonga National Centre for Women and Children, Tel.+676 26567 (24hr) Toll Free Line, Tel. 0800567 Tonga Women and Children Crisis Centre Tonga, Tel. +675 222 40 Tuvalu Tuvalu Health Association, Tel. +688 204 11 Tuvalu Police – Domestic Violence Unit, Tel. +688 207 25 Vanuatu Vanuatu Women's Centre, Tel. +678 257 64 and Tel. +673 240 00 Vanuatu Police Family Protection Unit, Tel. +678 222 22 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to Episode 1 of Vosa. In this episode, we share a talanoa on the platforms that exist for Pacific and Papua New Guinean people to tell our stories. We are joined by four talented storytellers across the fields of journalism, digital production, and film making - Drue Slatter from Fiji, Hilda Wayne from PNG, Regina Lepping from Solomon Islands, and Josua ‘Ake from the Kingdom of Tonga.  We would love to hear your thoughts and feedback on this episode. You can find us on social media via Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Thanks for tuning in, we look forward to sharing more episodes with you soon. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vosapodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vosapodcast  Twitter: https://twitter.com/vosapodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to Vosa, celebrating Pacific and Papua New Guinean voices and discussing our future. Vosa is a storytelling project, driven by experts and creatives in the region, with support from the World Bank in the Pacific and Papua New Guinea. Bula vinaka, my name is Arieta Rika, and I'm your host. I am a Fijian (Somosomo, Gau) and Tongan (Kolomotu'a) woman, as well as a Pacific storyteller, and communications expert, with over ten years of experience in social impact and nonprofit communications in Australia and the Pacific. I am so excited, to talanoa with guests from across the region, who are actively involved in the topics we discuss. Our guests are vibrant pioneers, creative influencers, powerful innovators, and instrumental trendsetters with stories that ignite pride, spark passion, and motivate positive movement and change in local and regional settings. On that note, I'm thrilled to share an insight into the focus of each talanoa on Episode 1 and Episode 2. Episode 1 will focus on the platforms that exist for individuals from the region to share their stories, and why individual and collective storytelling is an important component of shaping our identity and promoting tolerance and understanding. Episode 2 will focus on Gender-Based Violence, in response to the recent notable cases of violence in the Pacific and Papua New Guinea, resulting in widespread community activism. This talanoa will focus on inspiring local and regional voices who are working to address gender-based violence and address toxic masculinity. Please, keep an eye out for the launch of our first episode in the coming weeks. In the meantime, please know that I am so excited and deeply grateful to have you as a part of our Vosa community from wherever you are listening from, especially for those who are listening from home in the Pacific and Papua New Guinea. I invite you to like, follow, share, and talanoa with us on social media via @vosapodcast on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. Vinaka vaka levu, I look forward to inviting you to join us for our first talanoa on Vosa soon. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.