The Australian Government supports international sport for development initiatives throughout the Pacific Islands, with funding provided by AusAID and programs managed by the Australian Sports Commission. This unique approach uses sport as a vehicle to achieve non-sporting development outcomes such as the reduction of Non Communicable Diseases (NCD).

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that NCDs now cause 75 per cent of all deaths in the Pacific region. Once referred to as ‘diseases of the rich’, NCDs such as heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer and stroke are now having an enormous impact on the health of low and middle income countries.

For this reason, Pacific leaders have referred to NCDs as a ’tsunami’, which threatens the development of the region. The Australian Government has committed to working with a range of countries to determine how well-planned, sport based activities can help to address the health challenges posed by NCDs.

’By getting more people more active, sport and physical activity programs can help to keep people healthy,’ said Dr Allison Simons, Assistant Director of the ASC’s International Sport for Development. ’This not only helps to reduce the significant burden of NCDs on the health system, but also on the ability of people to earn a living for themselves and their families.’

As the programs operated in Vanuatu illustrate, NCD health issues can be addressed by increasing a community’s access to physical activity and sport. This Pacific Island nation, which consists of 82 islands, operates a number of initiatives in key locations.

On the remote island of Aniwa, in the southern most province of Tafea, the Australian Outreach Program (ASOP) partners with the Vanuatu Department of Youth, Development, Sports and Training to deliver the Nabanga Sports for Development Program. This initiative provides training opportunities to young men and women to run regular organised physical activities for children and youth. This investment has contributed to a 50 per cent reduction in obesity in just 12 months. 

In addition to these health outcomes, the Paramount chief of the island has noted that regular participation in Nabanga, where community sporting events are held at least twice a week, has dramatically improved community relations between villages.

’Before Nabanga there were a number of disputes that occurred between villages that affected the harmony of Aniwa as a whole,’ the Chief said. ‘Nabanga has enabled the different villages to foster mutual understanding and respect by working closely together, which has dramatically improved relationships to the point that we hardly see any problems occur anymore.’

As this example shows, sport can break down barriers and foster positive relationships. It helps build a sense of shared identity and fellowship among groups that might otherwise be inclined to treat each other with distrust, hostility and violence.

Resources spent on using sport as a vehicle for achieving development outcomes is showing early signs of real success. 

Over the next four years, the Australian Government anticipates increasing its aid assistance to the Pacific region by around 37 per cent, from an estimated $1.17 billion in 2012–13 to an indicative level of $1.6 billion in 2015–16. [1]

[1] AusAID website