Three women sports representatives were recognised last week in a 'Smash Down Barriers Program', which promotes social inclusion and wellbeing of marginalized groups, particularly people with disability, women and girls.

Tonga Table Tennis Federation’s CEO Salote Cocker Fungavai and the former CEO, Netina Latu Vea (current Secretary-General of TASANOC) received awards for the Best Disability Story and Best Program Showcase.

Meleseini Tufui from Just Play of Tonga Football received an award for Most Improved Production. 

Salote told Matangi Tonga today that the Tonga Table Tennis SDB program received funds from the Australian Government through the 'Team Up' program. "Our program...is changing the mindsets of people toward marginalized groups, and the mindsets of these marginalized groups toward themselves.”

The awards were based on their documented stories, using folktale, submitted during the year by various sport-for-development programs across the Pacific, who have the same partnership with Team Up and the Australian Government.

Awards

Salote won the Best Disability Story where she showcased the partnership that Tonga Table Tennis has with the Tonga National Visually Impaired Association and their views on the SDB Program. It featured Katokakala Lokotui (Vice President of TNVIA). 

Netina won the Best Program Showcase for presenting the purpose, objectives and outcomes of the SDB Program, (during her previous role as TTTF CEO).

The awards were held on 2 June at 'Api Soka (Tonga Football Association) at Veitongo.