Meet Asha Hamilton: CLAN NCP Scholarship Holder
My name is Asha Hamilton and I was a 2023 NCP Scholar. As part of my NCP journey, I undertook one month of language training in Kyoto, Japan and a semester of study at Waseda University in Tokyo. I followed up my period of study with a four-month internship with CLAN in Suva, Fiji. I studied Bachelor of Arts with double majors in Anthropology and History at the University of Melbourne. I am now completing my Honours in Anthropology this year (2025) at the University of Melbourne. My NCP scholarship was motivated by my lived experience with physical disability and my passion for helping the disabled community. This was a driving force for my interest in interning with CLAN as well as connecting with disability groups in Japan to learn more about the challenges and opportunities for people with disabilities in the Indo-Pacific. My honours project combines these passions by looking at how swimming fosters belonging and ideas around accessibility and inclusion for people with physical disabilities.
My internship with CLAN involved a number of different tasks during my time based at the Colonial War Memorial (CWM) Hospital in Suva. I worked alongside the head paediatrics doctor, Dr Ili and a number of paediatric nurses to complete tasks such as creating and updating patient registries, accompanying nurses on home visits to connect with families, implement resources for the doctors and families regarding non-communicable diseases and also hosting a world Children’s Day celebration that served as both a celebration of children and their families living with CAH and also a place for education and resource sharing.
How and when did you start working with CLAN, and what motivated you to do so?
I came across CLAN through the NCP newsletter which was advertising internship positions. I was immediately drawn to their work with children with complex needs. As a person living with disability since childhood I am very aware of the complexities that come with medical conditions. A major motivator for not only my CLAN internship but my NCP scholarship, was to help improve the lives of those with disabilities in any way I could. The internship with CLAN seemed like the perfect way to combine my lived experience, passion, and skills in anthropology to connect with people to increase my understandings of how to help children living with NCDs.
What are some highlight achievements from your time working with CLAN?
Whilst my time with CLAN and in Fiji was extremely rewarding in several ways including being able to connect with the nurses and doctors at the hospital, my biggest achievement was the World Children’s Day celebration. This celebration occurred as it was recognised that there was a need for congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) families to connect with one another. Additionally, increased access to education and resources to address myths and misinformation that was circulating around CAH and its causes was needed for these families. What started as a humble get together soon snowballed into a large celebratory day with chief guests from the Australian High Commission speaking at the event. Guests also included administrative and wider hospital staff, partners of the hospital and staff, many of whom had not even heard of CAH. Alongside keynote speeches from the Chief Health Secretary, the day included an educational session from a resident doctor to address the causes and treatment plan of CAH and, movingly, a parent testimony from a father of two children living with CAH. This was my proudest achievement during my time with CLAN as we were not only able to provide information but also allow connection and recognition between families. One grandmother said to me “I finally understand what CAH is” at the end of the day, which made it all the more worthwhile for me. It also demonstrated the strength and resilience of the Fijian community and nursing staff at the hospital who were integral in supporting my ideas and bringing them to life. The World Children’s Day event has subsequently continued since the end of my placement in Fiji, which makes me immensely happy of this achievement.
Are there any key skills you developed, or lessons learned from working with CLAN?
I think a key skill and takeaway from my time with CLAN during my internship was to go with the flow. Everyone jokes about and hears about “Fiji time” but it really was an important lesson to learn that things will come together in the end and work out. Along with this came important skills in time management as well as coordinating and communicating with a number of different people. This was an integral skill that I was able to develop and take with me following my internship.
Before my time with NCP and CLAN I wasn’t as confident and sure of my skills. However, following my time both living overseas but also gaining hands on experience in a working environment I was able to gain confidence in my ability and learn lifelong skills of communication, organisation and flexibility that I have continued to take with me.
Tell us about the New Colombo plan and the opportunities this has provided you.
The New Colombo Plan allowed me the opportunity to follow my passions whilst also exploring the world. It provided me with not only practical skills such as communication, planning and organisation but also life-skills of being able to live on my own and navigate other countries. NCP also led me to finding life-long friends overseas who I am still in contact with today and lifelong memories. My time in Fiji also brought strong connections with the nursing staff at the hospital where I was invited to share in celebrations for 1st birthdays, graduations and even a wedding! These memories I will cherish forever.
My experience studying and interning overseas has allowed me to develop my skills which I have taken with me into my Honours study. Developing my ability to connect with others but also synthesize information and co-ordinate with many people has transferred into my further studies and improved my skills. My experience with CLAN has also opened doors into further volunteering opportunities as I now volunteer with the Australian Disability Development Consortium (ADDC). I first heard of ADDC through my internship with CLAN and from my experience gained in the Pacific I am able to bring this awareness into my role. The skills of report writing and health promotion I developed are also crucial for my volunteer position where I help with ADDC’s communication. Without the learning and developing of these skills I don’t think I would have the confidence or ability to thrive in this volunteer position.
What is some advice you would provide others who would like to get involved, in either the NCP or CLAN, or anything that you’ve been involved in?
For anyone thinking about getting involved with CLAN or NCP I would say just have a go. It is an amazing experience that can be tough at times but is so rewarding. I would also say that no matter who you are if you’re passionate about something follow it, you never know where it may lead.
What are your goals for the future?
In the immediate future I am just hoping to make it through my Honours and feel accomplished with that.
Looking further ahead I would love to continue to work and build within the disability space to continue following my passion for disability equality. I would also love to continue developing my understanding and knowledge within the Indo-Pacific space.
What was your main goal when you applied to intern with CLAN? Did you achieve this, or did your path change while interning?
My main goal when applying to intern with CLAN was to make some sort of difference or impact, whether big or small. I felt I achieved that in many ways during my internship from creating patient registries and helping with the Hospital in the Home program. I think my biggest achievement of this goal was the World Children’s Day celebration. I also started interning with the intention to connect with others and learn from others. I think I achieved this through the personal connections I made with the staff at the hospital who opened my eyes to the challenges of their work but also the beauty in their ways of living and celebrating.
My internship with CLAN involved a number of different tasks during my time based at the Colonial War Memorial (CWM) Hospital in Suva. I worked alongside the head paediatrics doctor, Dr Ili and a number of paediatric nurses to complete tasks such as creating and updating patient registries, accompanying nurses on home visits to connect with families, implement resources for the doctors and families regarding non-communicable diseases and also hosting a world Children’s Day celebration that served as both a celebration of children and their families living with CAH and also a place for education and resource sharing.
How and when did you start working with CLAN, and what motivated you to do so?
I came across CLAN through the NCP newsletter which was advertising internship positions. I was immediately drawn to their work with children with complex needs. As a person living with disability since childhood I am very aware of the complexities that come with medical conditions. A major motivator for not only my CLAN internship but my NCP scholarship, was to help improve the lives of those with disabilities in any way I could. The internship with CLAN seemed like the perfect way to combine my lived experience, passion, and skills in anthropology to connect with people to increase my understandings of how to help children living with NCDs.
What are some highlight achievements from your time working with CLAN?
Whilst my time with CLAN and in Fiji was extremely rewarding in several ways including being able to connect with the nurses and doctors at the hospital, my biggest achievement was the World Children’s Day celebration. This celebration occurred as it was recognised that there was a need for congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) families to connect with one another. Additionally, increased access to education and resources to address myths and misinformation that was circulating around CAH and its causes was needed for these families. What started as a humble get together soon snowballed into a large celebratory day with chief guests from the Australian High Commission speaking at the event. Guests also included administrative and wider hospital staff, partners of the hospital and staff, many of whom had not even heard of CAH. Alongside keynote speeches from the Chief Health Secretary, the day included an educational session from a resident doctor to address the causes and treatment plan of CAH and, movingly, a parent testimony from a father of two children living with CAH. This was my proudest achievement during my time with CLAN as we were not only able to provide information but also allow connection and recognition between families. One grandmother said to me “I finally understand what CAH is” at the end of the day, which made it all the more worthwhile for me. It also demonstrated the strength and resilience of the Fijian community and nursing staff at the hospital who were integral in supporting my ideas and bringing them to life. The World Children’s Day event has subsequently continued since the end of my placement in Fiji, which makes me immensely happy of this achievement.
Are there any key skills you developed, or lessons learned from working with CLAN?
I think a key skill and takeaway from my time with CLAN during my internship was to go with the flow. Everyone jokes about and hears about “Fiji time” but it really was an important lesson to learn that things will come together in the end and work out. Along with this came important skills in time management as well as coordinating and communicating with a number of different people. This was an integral skill that I was able to develop and take with me following my internship.
Before my time with NCP and CLAN I wasn’t as confident and sure of my skills. However, following my time both living overseas but also gaining hands on experience in a working environment I was able to gain confidence in my ability and learn lifelong skills of communication, organisation and flexibility that I have continued to take with me.
Tell us about the New Colombo plan and the opportunities this has provided you.
The New Colombo Plan allowed me the opportunity to follow my passions whilst also exploring the world. It provided me with not only practical skills such as communication, planning and organisation but also life-skills of being able to live on my own and navigate other countries. NCP also led me to finding life-long friends overseas who I am still in contact with today and lifelong memories. My time in Fiji also brought strong connections with the nursing staff at the hospital where I was invited to share in celebrations for 1st birthdays, graduations and even a wedding! These memories I will cherish forever.
My experience studying and interning overseas has allowed me to develop my skills which I have taken with me into my Honours study. Developing my ability to connect with others but also synthesize information and co-ordinate with many people has transferred into my further studies and improved my skills. My experience with CLAN has also opened doors into further volunteering opportunities as I now volunteer with the Australian Disability Development Consortium (ADDC). I first heard of ADDC through my internship with CLAN and from my experience gained in the Pacific I am able to bring this awareness into my role. The skills of report writing and health promotion I developed are also crucial for my volunteer position where I help with ADDC’s communication. Without the learning and developing of these skills I don’t think I would have the confidence or ability to thrive in this volunteer position.
What is some advice you would provide others who would like to get involved, in either the NCP or CLAN, or anything that you’ve been involved in?
For anyone thinking about getting involved with CLAN or NCP I would say just have a go. It is an amazing experience that can be tough at times but is so rewarding. I would also say that no matter who you are if you’re passionate about something follow it, you never know where it may lead.
What are your goals for the future?
In the immediate future I am just hoping to make it through my Honours and feel accomplished with that.
Looking further ahead I would love to continue to work and build within the disability space to continue following my passion for disability equality. I would also love to continue developing my understanding and knowledge within the Indo-Pacific space.
What was your main goal when you applied to intern with CLAN? Did you achieve this, or did your path change while interning?
My main goal when applying to intern with CLAN was to make some sort of difference or impact, whether big or small. I felt I achieved that in many ways during my internship from creating patient registries and helping with the Hospital in the Home program. I think my biggest achievement of this goal was the World Children’s Day celebration. I also started interning with the intention to connect with others and learn from others. I think I achieved this through the personal connections I made with the staff at the hospital who opened my eyes to the challenges of their work but also the beauty in their ways of living and celebrating.
