Our Special Island is a tablet-based educational platform designed to promote healthy eating behaviours among primary school children in Tonga, using culturally grounded storytelling, music, and gameplay.
Developed as part of the broader Legends program, the initiative aimed to address nutrition-related challenges by embedding behaviour change principles within an engaging, locally relevant digital experience.
As Program Lead, I directed the end-to-end design and delivery of the platform, partnering with Melbourne-based design studio Millipede and working closely with local educators, communities, and stakeholders to ensure cultural relevance and effectiveness.
I led government engagement and successfully brokered Memoranda of Understanding with the Tongan Ministries of Education and Training, and Health, enabling implementation within the national school system.
The pilot was delivered across 10 primary schools, integrating the platform into classroom learning environments and supporting teachers with new approaches to digital and play-based education.
Impact
- 33% increase in students’ ability to identify healthy foods
- 77% increase in students’ ability to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy foods
- 90% of teachers reported improved learning outcomes through play-based methods
- Established a scalable, culturally grounded model for digital health education in Tonga
Media
