King's charity supports diabetes education [1]
Thursday, July 18, 2013 - 18:18. Updated on Monday, September 9, 2013 - 18:40.
From left, Richard Prema, Princess Siu'ilikutapu, Ruth Shanks, Queen Nanasipau'u and Princess 'Ofeina.
The Australian Associated Country Women of the World (ACWW) NSW branch is assisting Tonga in its fight against diabetes.
Queen Nanasipau'u on the behalf of the King's Coronation Charity Trust accepted a donation from Ruth Shanks, an ACWW representative, at the Royal Palace on Wednesday, 17 July.
The Lord Privy Seal, Va‘inga Tone, said that Ruth visited Tonga last year and made an AUD$10,000 donation to the Trust, and this year she presented an AUD$1000 donation from the New South Wales branch of the ACWW.
The trust was established by the late King George Tupou V with funds that were gifted to him during his coronation, and its focus is to combat diabetes.
The trust funded a study, carried out by researchers led by Dr ‘Ana Hau‘alofa‘ia Koloto from the University of the South Pacific, Tonga Campus, that was presented in May. The 90-page study provided data for the drafting of an educational plan to reduce the prevalence of diabetes, an incurable disease which afflicts many Tongans.
Queen Nanasipau'u and Princess 'Ofeina are two new trustees of the King's Coronation Charity Trust.