Spinal Injury Association

The Spinal Injuries Association (or SIA) of Fiji was first organized in the 1970s by a few spinal injured persons who were entering disabled people’s sports tournaments at the time. The SIA was registered in 1994 as a non-governmental organisation and affiliated to the Fiji Disabled Persons Association and the Fiji National Council for Disabled Persons. The Constitution of the Association states that all wheelchair bound persons are open to its membership which has over 200 registered members. This number grows weekly as it is also open to interested persons regardless of whether they are wheelchair bound or not. Its main donors are the government through the Ministry of Social Welfare, Women and Housing, Columban Fathers, wheelchair confined persons, members and the general public.

Aims:

• To provide a forum where wheelchair bound persons may help each other through information sharing in identifying issues that affect them.
• To educate the community on the needs of wheelchair confined persons and in taking preventative measures of further disintegrating physical status due to individual disability.
• To advocate with government and other stakeholders to address wheelchair accessibility in schools, key institutions, road systems and public transport.
• To assist the FDPA in addressing the needs of cross disability issues.

Objectives

• To promote and enhance the welfare of wheelchair confined persons regardless of their differences through the use of all forms of medium available
• To assist families on the medical needs of the wheelchair confined person
• To assess members needs and make submissions to government, private sector and other organisations for financial assistance accordingly
• To lobby for the education, training and employment of wheelchair bound persons in all training institutions
• To encourage the members to have a sense of pride, dignity and respect despite their disabilities