The Oceania Australia Foundation is a not-for-profit, non-political organisation working to advance health standards in disadvantaged communities across the Oceania region, with a particular focus on the Pacific Islands. 

Its partnership with the Oceania National Olympic Committees (ONOC) rests on its broad offering of educational programmes promoting health and well-being via participation in physical activity, specifically targeting obesity, diabetes and heart disease and its educational courses in sports coaching. It also provides sports and academic scholarships for overseas study to promising young leaders, an important avenue for personal and professional development for young athletes from the Pacific Small Island Developing States (Pacific SIDS). 

It educates communities in basic physiology and the range of health benefits that result from physical activity, provides a combination of sports and academic scholarships to overseas universities, and promotes leadership and social engagement in communities. 

One of the most important approaches it uses is through its encouragement of gender diversity at leadership level in communities and its general enhancement of community spirit and cohesion in disadvantaged communities through people’s participation in sporting activities. 

The Oceania Australia Foundation is based in Melbourne, Australia and more on its work can be found via the contact details below.

Helen McMurray, Executive Officer of the Oceania Australia Foundation spoke to Tahlea Aualiitia on ABC's Pacific Mornings Programme about the scholarship and the opportunities it affords Pacific athletes like Elenani Tinai.