Limited funding and manpower remain the biggest challenges preventing Counterstroke Fiji from expanding its services to more communities across the country to help combat stroke.
Speaking during Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan, Counterstroke Fiji President Elizabeth Reade Fong says many CSO's and NGO's struggle to secure the funding needed to operate their offices and deliver the services outlined in their strategic and action plans.
Fong says apart from one paid staff member who keeps the office running, the organisation relies largely on volunteers and is operating on goodwill and determination.
Insert:Fong on Lumia Academy 16th June
Fong says the organisation could carry out outreach activities every day of the week if it had more people to assist.
She adds that Counterstroke Fiji would like to establish a presence in the Western and Northern divisions, however currently lacks the resources to do so.
Fong says while Government support has been forthcoming over the years, NGOs often receive less funding than requested and must realign their priorities accordingly.
She says organisations may request around $50,000 during budget submissions but sometimes receive about half that amount, forcing them to adjust their work programmes.
Fong highlights the challenge posed by audit requirements attached to Government funding, saying organisations are sometimes forced to choose between using limited funds for service delivery or paying for audits.
She says while auditing is important for good governance and accountability, many organisations prioritise services when resources are limited.
Fong notes that some organisations offer free audit services as part of their corporate social responsibility programmes, but NGOs are not always a priority.
She says NGOs and CSOs complement rather than compete with Government services and play an important role in supporting communities.
Fong also acknowledges the Ministry of Health's support through the Wellness Coalition, which was established in August last year with Counterstroke Fiji taking a lead role in its formation.
She says the coalition brings together NGOs and CSOs working in the wellness sector under the Ministry of Health's Wellness Unit and has helped organisations better coordinate their activities and share limited resources for outreach programmes.
Fong stresses organisations now support one another and often collaborate on outreach activities to maximise their impact despite limited resources.
She says the Ministry of Health recognises the importance of working with other organisations, as it cannot meet all community needs on its own.
Counterstroke Fiji is also closely working with the National Council for Persons with Disabilities.
