DigiFale

About

Our vision is Pacific communities are able to navigate digital spaces and online services to improve their health and wellbeing. To do this, we combine grassroots community engagement, cultural & social capital, advocacy, and research to provide the necessary access, connectivity, and skills required to improve digital literacy, digital health litearcy, and digital health equity.

Our Pillars

Community Development

Digital Navigation

Advocacy

Research Translation

Where it started?

DIGIFALE started within a Niue community in Mangere, South Auckland, in April 2020, when an increased reliance on technology and the internet was necessary as COVID-19 caused communities to lockdown.

Face to face interactions were replaced with church closures and social distancing, and while some communities had the means to transition online, this was not the same for every fale or household.

Initially providing mobile phones to 50 Niue mamatua tupuna (elderly), impacting more than 300 family members, feedback highlighted the importance of prorammes being led by Pacific for Pacific, in their communities, and using their Pacific language. Importantly, adopting an intergenerational approach was also considered essential as they navigated new technology.

Since DIGIFALE’s inception, we hare shared our insights and learning with organisations focused on digital inclusion, digital equity, digital health literacy and health technologies.

The following reports and publication recognise the importance of the DIGIFALE programme, including insights from our Niue mamatua themselves.

  1. The Ministry of Health Digital Enablement Oversight Group Gap Analysis (published November 2020)
  2. Telehealth as a tool for equity: pros, cons and recommendations (published February 2021)  
  3. Telehealth as a mode of outpatient service delivery: A Pacific equity analysis (published March 2021)

  4. Navigating digital inclusion and the digital vā among Niue mamatua through the provision of mobile phones during COVID-19 (2023)

Why is digital equity important for Pacific communities?

Digital equity refers to whether people can ‘access’ and effectively ‘use’ technology necessary to participate in modern society. There is no doubt being able to ‘access’ the internet is as essential as power and water. Being able to ‘use’ technology is also considered a significant ‘life skill’ in the 21st century.
In May 2021, a Pacific report released by the Department of Internal Affairs acknowledged the need to continue advocating for digital inclusion and digital equity for Pacific communities. Advocating forges a pathway towards improving the wellbeing of Pacific communities and families. This is essential considering several reports have highlighted 1 in 5 Pacific people are not able to connect online or considered ‘digitally excluded’.
When Pacific communities experience digital inclusion (the work required to achieve digital equity), individuals are then able to participate fully in society – from economic opportunities and success, educational achievement, positive health and wellbeing outcomes, and social inclusion.
This creates an enabling society which is essential for building strong and reliant communities. This also aligns with several Government strategies focused on Pacific health and wellbeing such as the Ministry for Pacific Peoples Lalanga Fou Goal 3 Resilient Healthy Pacific Communities, the Ministry of Health Ola Manuia: Pacific Health and Wellbeing Action Plan 2020–2025 and the Ministry of Social Development Pacific Prosperity Our People, Our Solutions, Our Future.
What we know is addressing digital inclusion requires involving Pacific communities who experience this first-hand and addressing the root causes of digital inequity through bottom-up planning and collaboration.
While the technology can provide benefits, it is the context in which the technology is implemented and skills which the implementation is conducted that realizes the benefits. Hence the importance of partnering with Pacific families and communities.

Our Pillars

Community Development

Digital Navigation

Advocacy

Research Translation