Smash Down Barriers

27/12/2025

Today, the women of Buakonikai Village on Rabi Island enjoyed a fun and active session, trying out basic table tennis skills alongside other physical activities as part of their Christmas season exercises.

Laughter, energy, and encouragement filled the space as their children watched and cheered them on.

Smash Down Barriers Program for creating these joyful moments for such inspiring women.

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year from Smash Down Barriers Program Fiji.

Team Up

25/12/2025

The Smash Down Barriers Program has officially started its inclusive outreach to villages on Rabi Island, beginning with Buakonikai Village. We were also joined by the ACE Team.

During the session, basic table tennis skills were introduced through fun activities, along with other ACE activities and Olympic values. While table tennis has been played on the island before, this was the first session focused on teaching proper techniques starting from the basics.

Everyone was very excited and happy to learn the correct skills, and the session was well-received by the community. 🌟❤️

17/12/2025

Smash Down Barriers Development Officers from Tonga conducted a "Come and Try" session at Kolokakala Hall. 🥹🏓

Team Up Australia in Tonga

16/12/2025

The Smash Down Barriers meets with the Rabi council Team to present Sevusevu to the RCL as appreciation for allowing our program to be be part of this major events 🌟🤩🏓

Team Up Australian High Commission, Fiji

16/12/2025

At the Opening Ceremony of the Smash Down Barriers Program, the ACE Team was grateful for the opportunity to be part of this very important event, marking the 80th anniversary of the arrival of the Banaban people on Rabi Island, Fiji. We also joined the march alongside the other teams. This event is celebrated annually.

This year marks the very first time that persons with disabilities (PWD) have been included in the event. We thank the Rabi Council of Leaders for accepting our request and helping make this celebration more inclusive. The Smash Down Barriers Program also invited its implementation partner, Fiji Association of Sport & National Olympic Committee, as well as the Fiji National Sports Commission, to join this inclusive mission.

We look forward to our inclusive activities starting tomorrow, with sessions for PWD in the morning and children in the afternoon.

14/12/2025

The Honiara Schools Holiday Training Camp 2025 has concluded, led by the country’s female and male National Para Table Tennis athletes alongside Sports Development Officer Mr. Rodney Satini and Noela Olo.

Thank you everyone for your hard work. 🌟🏓

14/12/2025

04/12/2025

The Smash Down Barriers Program participated in the three-day Educate the Educators Inclusive workshop organized by the Fiji National Sports Commission from November 17–19 in the Western Division of Fiji. Teachers from various special schools across the West attended the workshop.

The training provided a valuable opportunity for teachers to learn inclusive table tennis alongside two other sports. After completing three days of both practical and theory sessions, teachers are now equipped with the skills and confidence to teach these sports to their students in their respective schools.
Harvi Yee, the Smash Down Barriers Program In-Country Manager, expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to facilitate the inclusive table tennis component for special school teachers in the West.

This marks the first time a table tennis workshop has been delivered to teachers in the western part of Fiji. She extended sincere thanks to the Fiji National Sports Commission and its partners for their collaboration and support in making this initiative possible.

Participating special schools included:
• Sigatoka Special School
• Nadi Special School
• Sunshine Special School
• Lautoka Special School
• National Centre for Disabled Persons, West
• Ba Special School
• Rakiraki Special School
• Tavua District Primary School

The teachers showed great eagerness to learn. Although some struggled on Day 1, clear improvements were seen on Days 2 and 3, along with growing excitement and confidence. The workshop concluded on a high note, with teachers feeling ready to return to their schools and teach the sport. All participants received their certificates at the end of Day 3.

Once again, sincere thanks to all the teachers, the Fiji National Sports Commission, and its partners for their commitment and support. A special thanks to Fiji Association of Sport & National Olympic Committee and the Smash Down Barriers for their continued support. Vinaka.

03/12/2025

The Smash Down Barriers program session at the Fiji Gospel School for the Deaf included a visit from the Team Up team. It was a pleasure having them with us during our session at the school. 🌟🎉

03/12/2025

Happy 2025 International Day of Persons with Disabilities
from the Smash Down Barriers Program Fiji and Fiji Association of Sport & National Olympic Committee

The celebration was held at the Fiji Vocational Technical Training Center for Disabled Persons, with this year’s theme:
“Fostering Disability-Inclusive Societies for Advancing Social Progress.”

The program opened with a short presentation, followed by a lively dancing warm-up and a variety of fun activities. Special thanks to our implementation partner, FASANOC, for providing gifts and additional giveaways for the students and teachers. The students and teachers had a wonderful time and thoroughly enjoyed the celebrations and activities during the day.

A big vinaka vakalevu to both our amazing teams Smash Down Barriers and the Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (FASANOC) for a job well done.

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Team Up

20/11/2025

Join us for our Monthly Inclusive Competition at FNU Nasinu on 22 November, 9am–1pm! ⏰

A fun, welcoming space for everyone to enjoy table tennis, connect, and embrace Olympic values. For more details, contact Harvi or Jane. 🌟🏓 Don’t miss it!

16/11/2025

On Saturday, 18 October, FASANOC’s Smash Down Barriers Program and Athlete Community Engagement (ACE) Team joined the Ketetemane Methodist Church Women’s Fellowships for their monthly gathering, hosted by the Naouatao Women’s Fellowship. This month’s event centred on the themes “Celebrating the Importance of Women” and “Pinktober Awareness.”

The gathering brought together women from across the Ketetemane Methodist Church network (Rabi Islanders living between Galoa and Nausori) for a full day of worship, learning, and participation. Proceedings began with a church service, followed by Pinktober information sessions focused on early detection, support, and available community resources.

For FASANOC, the day offered a valuable opportunity to integrate health awareness with inclusive physical activity through our outreach programs. Our contribution focused on simple, accessible sports activities designed to promote fitness, connection, and confidence among participants of varied ages and abilities.
Working in collaboration with the host fellowship, the Smash Down Barriers coaches and ACE Team facilitated structured warm-ups, low-impact games, and cooperative team challenges. Activities were selected to be inclusive, requiring minimal equipment and accommodating different fitness levels. Participation remained strong across fellowships, with groups rotating through activity stations. The integration of sport with the Pinktober theme reinforced practical steps toward active living as part of women’s health.

A highlight of the day was a session led by the ACE Champion, who shared the

Olympic Values of Excellence, Respect, and Friendship. Participants were encouraged to apply these principles not only in sport but in their daily lives. The message aligned closely with the event’s themes—emphasizing self-care, mutual support, and striving to be the best version of ourselves.

A key element of the awareness segment was a heartfelt testimony by Mrs. Aripo Aaron, a cancer survivor, who spoke about the importance of early action, faith, and community support throughout her journey. Her story underscored the value of regular health checks, informed decision-making, and relying on family and church networks for encouragement. The testimony grounded the day’s health messages and inspired meaningful conversations during and after the session.
Engagement remained high throughout the program. Participants interacted across fellowship groups, with many noting that combining awareness sessions with light physical activity made the health messages more relatable and practical.

From our perspective, the program effectively supported three key objectives:
• Health literacy: reinforcing Pinktober messages through structured discussion
• Inclusion through sport: providing accessible activities for participants of all abilities
• Community connection: strengthening relationships across fellowships and partner groups

We extend our thanks to the Naouatao Women’s Fellowship for hosting and coordinating the gathering, and to all Ketetemane Methodist Church Women’s Fellowships for their enthusiastic participation. FASANOC remains committed to aligning Smash Down Barriers and ACE outreach with community-led initiatives that prioritise women’s health and inclusion.

We look forward to future collaborations that bring together awareness, activity, and Olympic Values in a unified and practical program format.

Team Up Australian High Commission, Fiji