This story was originally posted by UNICEF Pacific on their website.

She often paused during her speech, filled with emotions and fighting back tears but looking straight at the audience to deliver her own story.Ketia lost her hearing when she was just 9-years-old. Born in a small village in the outer islands of Kiribati, she had a happy childhood. One day, she noticed that she suddenly could not hear anything. She tried to explain this to her parents and they panicked."They took me around to any doctor they could find in Kiribati," recollects Ketia. They eventually realised that there was nothing that could be done.Ketia was one of the guest speakers at the first ever three-day Inclusive Education Forum held in Kiribati to reflect on past practices and develop actions to strengthen the delivery of quality inclusive learning in the country.More than 80 participants, including school leaders, partners and ministry officials, gathered in the traditional Maneaba, an open meeting house made from coconut and local trees and leaves where community members gather for key events, discussions and ceremonies. The Maneaba symbolizes unity and inclusiveness, a core value and culture of Kiribati. A cool breeze would eventually flow into the venue from the beautiful turquoise sea surrounding it.“The teacher did not believe that I could not hear. She thought I was joking,” shares Ketia. She wanted to tell the teacher that she was not joking but found it difficult to express herself. Her parents visited the school to explain that she had suddenly lost her hearing and finally, the teacher understood. School life was tough for her. Her classmates often teased her because she could not hear nor speak like them. The teacher also did not know what to do. She had to follow what was written on the blackboard to catch up with the lessons. Yet, Ketia’s determination never wavered, and she continued her education. Eventually, she moved to a special school in the capital. There, she was supported by teachers who made sure she had the right support to continue learning.Despite her situation, Ketia had been fortunate to continue her education with support from her parents, her own strong passion for education and competent teachers who built their capacity through various training sessions organized by the Ministry of Education and partners.One in five children in Kiribati has a disability and without adequate support, they often drop out of school and even if they stay in school, they may not learn the foundational literacy and numeracy skills that are needed in life. Data shows that also other factors, such as the gender of the child, the location of their school and the child’s family’s social economic background affects their education (MICS 2018-2021, PILNA 2021).Recently, there has also been increased awareness in the Pacific on how neurodivergent learners which includes children with conditions like autism, ADHD, dyslexia and others struggle with their education without adequate support. After graduating high school, Ketia went to Fiji to continue her education and eventually became a Teacher Assistant at St. Louis High School to support deaf students with their education. Now, she can help other students continue their education, equipped with her personal experience and knowledge. But teaching students who have difficulty in hearing is not an easy task and she often struggled to teach them.“I see the same struggles that I went through,” she said, often pausing to fight back tears. “I become very emotional because I can really feel their pain.”A complete silence swept across the participants as they wiped their tears repeatedly while listening to Ketia’s story. Only the sound of the wind and the gentle waves from the lagoon could be heard.Ketia was amongst the many speakers at the Forum, where they shared real-life testimonies of how inclusive education can support all children and what the Ministry of Education is initiating to address these issues. Speakers covered diverse topics related to inclusion, including children in remote islands, neurodiverse learners and those facing gender-based violence in schools. The Forum ended with key priority actions on inclusive education co-developed by the participants to take forward in the upcoming years."Every child has a dream," Ketia emphasized. "Bring your child to school. I am equal. I am the same as you." Her personal story was a story of resilience. And her message was a strong call to action for the participants to provide the right support to children so they can continue their education and have the opportunity to shine and realize their dreams.   Inclusive EducationThe overall disability prevalence in Kiribati is 20.8 per cent for difficulties in communication, vision, self-care, mobility, hearing and cognition (National Census 2015). Data shows that 64 percent of children do not have the expected foundational learning skills that are needed in life, with 51 per cent lacking numeracy skills and 49 per cent lacking reading skills. Factors such as gender, social economic background, location and disability are associated with attaining these foundational skills (Kiribati MICS-EAGLE 2018-2021, PILNA 2021). Ongoing support for these vulnerable groups will enhance their access to quality education and support them to gain the necessary foundational skills for life.UNICEF provided technical and financial support for the organization of this Forum through the strong foundations established by the Pacific Regional Education Framework (PacREF).

This story was originally published by UNICEF Pacific on their website.

No water for weeks, plants were slowly dying, the grass was turning brown, the local water sources were starting to dry up, and children even stopped playing outside in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM).“I was scared,” says 13-year-old Francesca, remembering how she felt when a state of emergency was declared in Pohnpei State and the school principal said there would be a shortage of water. As a result, schools in Pohnpei, including Francesca’s school, Sokehs Powe Elementary, began operating a half day schedule for students.As a WASH champion, Francesca knew she had a role to play, not just in supporting her fellow students to get through this challenge, but also at home and in her community.Sokehs Powe Elementary School is uniquely positioned not only to enjoy the majestic view of Sokehs Rock, a symbol of Pohnpei’s rich history and culture, but also to be in close contact with the sea. But, with ongoing climate change, children in FSM not only face threats from rising sea levels but also from climate impacts like the severe drought that recently affected the country.Francesca remembers how school operations were affected because of the drought and that water pipelines connected to the school were closed. The school had to obtain three more water tanks to prepare for the drought, and teachers reminded her and fellow schoolmates to conserve water. “We could not use bathrooms during class hours, but only during recess and lunch time,” she says.Francesca has been an active member of her school’s Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) club for four years now. She joined the club in the fifth grade and now, as an eighth grader, she serves as the club’s President. With a team of 20 dedicated WASH club members, Francesca has been instrumental in advocating for increased access to WASH services in her school, which is home to 156 students.Under her leadership, the club has embarked on a series of initiatives aimed at creating positive behaviour change such as engaging in school gardening and promoting healthy and local food. Francesca and her team have also taken significant steps in improving hygiene practices in school. They have educated their peers on proper handwashing techniques, as well as tested and monitored the quality of their water in the school and nearby community water sources. Through this they discovered that while the water from their dispenser was potable, other community water sources were not.Perhaps most crucially though, they have been highly involved in advocating for water conservation. Francesca and her club members used the opportunity of World Water Day last year, when they presented to lots of important leaders and community members, to advocate for water conservation. This proved invaluable as the drought took hold, as their knowledge helped them spread awareness throughout their own community.    "Even though the drought was really hard, it showed us how important it is to save water. We couldn’t use the bathrooms during class, so we had to be careful with water. At home, we used containers and took shorter showers." The WASH club efforts have not only boosted the self-esteem of the students but also enhanced the academic performance of both WASH club members and non-members. The club’s activities have inspired other students to strive for academic excellence to meet the grades required to join or remain in the club.“Being in the WASH club for four years helped me understand how to save water and share that with others. When the drought hit, we told people that if they didn't have water, they could go to the rivers and make tanks to collect water. We also talked about these things during WASH days. It felt good knowing that our WASH club was making a difference and helping everyone stay aware of how to conserve water.”For Francesca, her commitment to WASH advocacy has not gone unnoticed. She has had the opportunity of presenting to distinguished guests, including Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong as well as UNICEF’s management. These memorable experiences have further strengthened her desire to make a difference in her school and community and have left a lasting mark on her friends, family, and teachers.UNICEF works closely with school teachers to help implement a range of WASH-related activities that promote healthy behaviours and environmental responsibility among students. These initiatives include educating students on proper handwashing techniques, monitoring the quality of water sources, and advocating for water conservation - particularly during the recent drought. This support not only improves the hygiene and sanitation conditions at the school but also empowers students like Francesca to become active WASH champions in their community.

I have seen them get hurt.I have seen them get addicted to alcohol or drugs.I have seen them struggle to cope in silence.Youths in Palau are hesitant to talk about mental health issues, and if something is not done about it now, we will end up raising a generation that will continue to struggle mentally and this cycle will continue for generations to come. Alii! My name is Dee-Raya Antonio. I live in Palau’s Koror state, and I recently graduated from high school.Growing up I did not quite notice the impact of mental health issues on youths, but when I was in high school, I started seeing that even though we live in the same island young people came from diverse backgrounds and experiences.Growing up in Palauan households, mental health has always been a sensitive topic. I grew up in a bit of a strict household, so a lot of time I felt like I should not be talking about issues affecting me personally. There were several times in my life where I felt isolated from everyone. But as an adolescent who was navigating my teenage life, I too had my challenges then, but now I make mental health a top priority.However, I have seen young people (especially teenagers) who have been struggling. I have friends who came from strict households, and they tell me that they would always feel the same pressures as I did. I have seen them break down and it is saddening to see them in that situation, knowing that I could relate.While I do not know some victims personally, I have seen and heard of cases of suicide because of mental health issues. Because this is a growing issue, it concerns me that someday this could happen to someone I know.Counselling is and can be helpful, but what is not helpful is the crushing weight of stigma, an unjust burden on those who need it most.Whenever we try to access services that might help us with our mental health problems, we feel that somebody will talk about it, so we hesitate to get that help.Palau is a small island country, everyone knows each other. For instance, people can easily notice and recognize when someone walks across the street to go into the building to access these services.If someone is already going through an issue, they will have to think twice about seeking professional help because of the mere discomfort it brings just by physically accessing these services.And what is more concerning is that while we may have access to such services in the main island, there are young people out there in farther states who may not have any of such services available to them. But young people problems require solutions driven by young people, and the first step is for more conversation and awareness around mental health issues between youths. In addition to traditional methods of teaching about mental health in schools, let us engage children and young people to take the lead on talking about such issues.If mental health issues in my country are not addressed, one day we will have a society where we will have so many problems unshared, individuals isolated, and communities weakened.If we do not start talking about it now, we will not be able to understand the triggers of mental health issues, and this cycle will go on and on, with more young people getting entangled in the web of their own mental health issues. 

“Rising sea level due to climate change is not caused by the activities of small countries like mine but a result of the actions of bigger countries. While it may not affect them directly, the impact of climate change is affecting our people ten times more.”Kaselehlie! My name is Skylar Clark and this is my story of how rising sea level is slowly swallowing my island home, taking with it my childhood memories and my father’s ancestral home.I am a seventeen-year-old high school student living in Pohnpei, one of the four states in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and every time someone talks about climate change, my heart sinks, just like some of these islands in Micronesia.Let me share a story about Pingelap, an island located around 285km east of Pohnpei with over 140 inhabitants. While we may have heard of countries that will be under water in another 50 years, Pingelap’s fate may unfold sooner, and the situation here is even closer to my heart because both my parents are from this part of Micronesia. My father’s family home is in Pingelap where he grew up, and I visit the island during Summer and Christmas breaks. In the last eleven years I have seen the situation go from bad to worse, the places where my father once used to play are now memories underwater.But the issue around sea level rise does not end here. It is even worse with the current drought conditions affecting FSM. Pingelap is a small island and there are no rivers where people could fetch water from. They only have wells and rainwater. When there is no rain, they depend on wells, and saltwater intrusion is impacting access to drinking water from the wells.Children and families now rely on coconuts as a source of drinking water, but due to the worsening impacts of climate change, I am worried that in another ten years, these coconut trees may not be able to produce enough for people to depend on.Supplies are transported to the island via ship, which only goes there twice a year. If supplies are missed by one ship, people have to wait until another ship is scheduled, which is probably towards the other half of the year. Another way to reach the island is through flights and due to recent instances of plane crashes, now there is very limited access to the island.Things are happening more quickly now than what I used to experience when I was little. Within the last eleven years that I have been visiting the island, I can see that the situation is getting dramatically worse in terms of rising sea level affecting people’s livelihoods. Where once they did not have any climate issues, things are taking disastrous turns as each day unfolds in Pingelap. Dear leaders, this is just one story from one island in Micronesia, but there are many small islands in other countries that may be facing similar issues.If you do not take climate action now, then one day my father will lose the place filled with his childhood memories, I will not have a place to go back to during my school breaks, and my future generation might never know that an island called Pingelap ever existed in the Federated States of Micronesia.