Tonga National Visual Impairment Association

11/10/2026

Hey everyone! You’re all invited!

Fakaafe'i atu e Tonga kotoa ketau kau fakataha hono faka'ilonga'i 'a e 'Aho fakamamani lahi 'o e Tokotoko Hinehina (International White Cane Day) pea pehe foki ki hono fakamanatua 'o e ta'u 'e 12 si'i fuafatongia 'o e Kautaha ni. Kataki vakai ki he taa 'o e fakaafe ni ki hono fakaikiiki.

Tag along your family and friends for a fun evening filled with delicious food, yummy baking, and beautiful handicrafts. *Please don't forget to bring your wallet too 😄👍

Come have fun, show your support, and celebrate with us😇
See you all there🥳💛

29/09/2026

🔥TNVIA Fire Safety & Evacuation Training🚒

🌟The Tonga National Visual Impairment Association (TNVIA) staff, together with some carers of our members, recently took part in an important mobility, fire safety, and evacuation training with the Tonga Fire and Emergency Services.

🏭The training was hosted at the Tonga Fire and Emergency Services office in their Conference Room, where we were warmly welcomed and given the opportunity to learn more about evacuation procedures.

🤝We were grateful to have Commander Tu'itupou and his team as the facilitator for our training. He shared important knowledge and practical guidance about fire safety, emergency preparedness, and evacuation procedures, especially in relation to supporting people with visual impairment during an emergency.

✨The training helped us understand what to do if a fire happens accidentally, how to respond quickly and safely, and how to assist our members to evacuate from a building or dangerous area.

🚨Being prepared can save lives. It is important for our staff, carers and members to know how to respond during an emergency, whether we are at home, at work, at school or somewhere in the community.

‼️We also learned that when people face an emergency or need assistance and support, the Tonga Fire and Emergency Services are available to provide help and guidance through their emergency services. Knowing who to contact and how to seek help is an important part of being prepared.

🔆This training is a valuable step towards ensuring that our members with visual impairment are better prepared, supported and protected emergencies.

🙏 A big thank you to the Tonga Fire and Emergency Services and Commander Paula for sharing your knowledge, time and experience with us. Your support helps us to build a safer and more inclusive community for everyone.

✨Thank you to the Australia in Tonga for your support throughout this project it is a pleasure for us to have this opportunity and help others.

Preparedness • Safety• Support • Inclusion • Independence ❤️


♨️

10/09/2026

🌟🧑‍🦯‍➡️Mobility Training Update 👩‍🦯🌟

🔆We are pleased to share an update on our mobility training program for our members with visual impairment. Our training at Fua’amotu International Airport focused on helping our members build confidence and understand how to navigate the airport safely when traveling, including knowing where to go and what support is available.

🔆We are very grateful to one of the airport officers who kindly took the time to meet with us, provide important information, and guide our members around the airport.

🔆We also continued our mobility training at Vaiola Hospital, where our members learned how to navigate the hospital environment, identify important places, and understand what to do when they need to access different services. We also sincerely appreciate the female officer who is the staff working at the hospital, who took the time to guide and provide valuable information to our members.

🔆These activities are important in helping our members become more confident, independent and comfortable when traveling or accessing essential services. Through mobility training and the support of our partners and the Australia in Tonga we aim to equip people with visual impairment with the skills and confidence they need to move around safely and independently.❤️‍🩹

✨A heartfelt thank you to Australia in Tonga for the continued support and commitment to improving accessibility, independence and opportunities for people with visual impairments in Tonga🦯🫶

‘Ofa lahi atu from team TNVIA😍

19/08/2026

📍We are pleased to share an update on our ongoing needs assessment survey in ‘Eua.

🌟A heartfelt thank you to the ‘Eua government representatives for welcoming the voyage of TNVIA with open arms and a positive spirit. Your support has been instrumental in allowing us to reach and involve the community, especially people with visual impairments.

🌟We also extend our sincere gratitude to all the town officers of ‘Eua for their assistance in encouraging participation and helping us connect with those in need.

🌟To the people of ‘Eua, thank you for your active participation and willingness to engage in this important survey.

📍🌟We also extend our special thanks to the principal of GPS ‘Ohonua, for graciously allowing us the opportunity to reach out to the students who are visually impaired. It’s truly inspiring to have the chance to connect with these young students and include them in our survey, your support helps us ensure that their voices are heard and their needs are recognized.

✨Finally, we are grateful to Australia in Tonga for funding this program, enabling TNVIA to achieve its goal of empowering and supporting people with visual impairments. Together, we are making a difference!

‘Ofa lahi atu!😊

28/07/2026

During this quarter, we had the opportunity to visit our TNVIA students at their schools as part of our monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) activities. This visit allowed us to observe their progress firsthand, access their engagement, and gather valuable feedback to improve our support. We are thrilled to share some wonderful news:

✨️Manu Lavemai, a totally blind girl currently form 1 in Tonga Side School, has passed all her lessons this semester. Her teacher shared that Manu’s achievement is truly inspiring.

✨️Siueli Taumoefolau, a class 6 student at GPS Havelu who is also totally blind, has passed all his mid-year lessons, making us very proud of his success.

✨️Lavi Masima, studying at TTI and with low vision, has passed all his lessons despite the challenges he faces.

These achievements reaffirm the importance of our night classes in supporting these students, and some of their results are truly unbelievable, demonstrating the value and impact of our programs.

A special thank you to Australia in Tonga for their ongoing financial support, which has been instrumental in sustaining and expanding our night classes for children with visual impairment. Your support makes a real difference in their educational journeys, and we celebrate these remarkable accomplishments together!

Malo 'Aupito Team TNVIA💛

03/12/2025

Happy International Disability Day! 💚
A big thank you to the Ministry of Internal Affairs for hosting today’s celebration. We’re grateful to be part of this special day as we come together to honor inclusion, strength, and the voices of people with disabilities in Tonga.

From all of us at the Tonga National Visual Impairment Association. Mālō ‘aupito and happy celebrations.

Tnvia Tonga💛

29/11/2025

TNVIA & TNDA Christmas Party 🎄✨

This year was extra special with the Tonga National Deaf joining us. So much joy and warmth shared.

As we head into Christmas, may today’s happiness stay in our hearts.

Big thanks to MIA, ACTS Community School, our TNVIA Chairman, and the board for the support and gifts. Mālō ‘aupito everyone.

Fakatauange kemou ma'u ha Kilisimasi fiefia mo ha ta'u fo'ou monu'ia.
Tnvia Tonga💛✨

28/11/2025

21/11/2025

As TNVIA celebrates our 11th anniversary, our hearts are just so full. Happy anniversary to us! �

And today, Class 1, 2, and 3 from ACTS Community School made this moment even more special. Your smiles, your love, and the blessings you brought truly lit up our whole day. Mālō ‘aupito for sharing your hearts with us. We felt every bit of it.

Malo mo e 'ofa lahi atu
Tnvia�

21/10/2025

The second TNVIA Mobility Tour team is all set and ready to take off to New Zealand!

Excited for everything ahead, learning, exploring, and making the most of this amazing opportunity.😇

Safe travels, team!