"Migrating with Dignity": A Study of the Kiribati-Australia Nursing Initiative (KANI)

Abstract

Due to the effects of extreme climate change and overcrowding, it has been predicted that the Republic of Kiribati, a small island nation in the Pacific, could become completely uninhabitable by 2050. With the country's long-term sustainability and survival under threat, President Anote Tong has proposed the "migrating with dignity" strategy to collaborate with developed countries and create educational training programs in hopes that more I-Kiribati will be able to gain employment and move overseas. My thesis examines this relocation strategy with a particular focus on the Kiribati Australia Nursing Initiative (KANI) at Griffith University in Brisbane. Using an in-depth qualitative approach, my study focuses on the KANI students' motivations for leaving Kiribati, their personal experiences with the program, and its impact on their lives. My results hope to provide insight into the importance of this and other migration policies to Kiribati and other atoll nations of the Pacific region.