Each year on May 12th, the world comes together to celebrate International Nurses Day, commemorating the birth of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. This significant occasion not only highlights the critical role nurses play in health systems globally, but also reflects on the…

As the world celebrates International Girls in ICT Day 2025 under the theme “Girls in ICT for Inclusive Digital Transformation“, we highlight the journey of Shamila Bule, a trailblazing ICT professional from Vanuatu. Shamila, an Australia Awards Vanuatu alumna, graduated in 2007 with a Bachelor…

On 20 March 2025, the world comes together to celebrate World Oral Health Day, an annual event dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of good oral hygiene and its impact on overall well-being. This year’s theme, “A Happy Mouth is A Happy Mind”, highlights…

Tatavola Matas is an Australia Awards alumna who graduated with a Master of Laws from the Australian National University. As the Coordinator & Senior Legal Officer at Vanuatu Women’s Centre, Tatavola leads significant initiatives against violence towards women and children. We speak with her to…

Michael Taurakoto is an Australia Awards alumnus whose work resonates with the ethos of United Nations Day. Celebrated annually on October 24, United Nations Day offers the opportunity to reaffirm the purposes and principles of the UN Charter now in its 78th year. Michael graduated…

James David Zetricks is an Australia Awards alumnus who set out with one idea in mind when he undertook a Master of Public Administration at the Australian National University; to serve. James explains ‘the commitment to serving and looking after the public has always been…

To celebrate Public Service Commission Day, we speak with Australia Awards alumna, Julie Obed, who is a Senior Employment Services Officer of Performance at the Office of the Public Service Commission. Julie graduated in 2013 with a Bachelor of Commerce – Management & Public Administration…

To celebrate World Day for International Justice on July 17, we speak with Australia Awards Vanuatu alumnus, Philip Toaliu, who graduated in 2023 from the Australian National University (ANU) with a Master of Laws. Philip now serves as a Magistrate with the Judiciary of the…

Australia Awards Vanuatu alumnus, Dr. Jimmy Obed, plays a critical role within the mental health landscape throughout the Pacific and in April, 2024, he was panellist at an event hosted by the Australian Awards Women Leading and Influencing (WLI) initiative, titled Mental Health and Culture…

Jossiana Peter is an Australia Awards Vanuatu alumna who recently graduated with a Master of Banking and Finance from Macquarie University, Australia. In her newly appointed role as the Supervisor for Financial Assets within the Vanuatu Financial Services Commission (VFSC), Jossiana is providing innovative financial…