Field Ready Pacific

Sourcing roller tips for white canes has long been a challenge across the Pacific for persons with visual impairments — a struggle that United Blind Persons of Fiji (UBPF) and their thousands of members know all too well.

Thankfully, UBPF reached out to Field Ready. Through the Improving Access to Assistive Technology in Fiji project, funded by the Canadian Fund for Local Initiatives, we were able to design and locally produce the first batch of roller white cane tips using 3D printing.

This marks the first practical use of 3D printing in Fiji to address gaps caused by limited local supply chains for assistive technology in the Pacific — an issue at the very core of this project. With the establishment of the nation’s first Assistive Technology Hub, we hope to continue building sustainable, local solutions.

After end-user testing and refinement, 20 roller white cane tips were produced. Five of these have already been shared with UBPF’s partner organisation in Tonga, extending the impact beyond Fiji

On December 12, 2025, Field Ready proudly launched the National Assistive Technology Hub at the NCPD Complex in Suva. This milestone was made possible through a partnership between the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) and our disability service partners, with generous support from the Canadian Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI). The hub was launched together with David Fournier, the Head of Cooperation of Canada in the Pacific.

The Hub is equipped with 3D printers, tools, and materials that will allow local technicians, caregivers, and artisans to design, repair, and produce assistive device parts right here in Fiji. From crutch tips to wheelchair footplates, solutions will now be made by our people, for our people.

This initiative is more than just equipment—it’s about skills, sustainability, and dignity. Caregivers, youth, and community members have been trained in digital manufacturing and repair, ensuring that knowledge stays in Fiji and continues to grow.

By extending the life of devices instead of replacing them, the Hub also supports Fiji’s vision for a Green Fiji. Through mobile outreach, persons with disabilities in rural and remote communities will benefit as well.

We extend heartfelt thanks to our partners: the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, the Spinal Injury Association, the Frank Hilton Organization, the United Blind Persons of Fiji, and the people of Canada for making this vision a reality.

This is not just the opening of a facility. It is the beginning of a stronger, more inclusive, and more sustainable future for persons with disabilities in Fiji.

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“Inclusion is not charity — it is justice.”

On International Youth Day 2025, Field Ready’s own Sabina Moce joined youth leaders from across the Pacific in a webinar hosted by UNFPA Pacific and Pacific Youth Council, calling for stronger action on inclusion and resilience.

As our Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) Officer in Fiji, Sabina spoke powerfully about the lived experiences of young people with disabilities — and the urgent need for policies and programs designed with them, not for them.

“We don’t want to be tokenised — we want to be heard, included, and respected. To all the young people in the Pacific: your voice matters.”

We’re proud that voices like Sabina’s are shaping conversations on disability, equality, and youth leadership across the Pacific. Her advocacy reminds us that lasting resilience begins by making space for everyone.