From Christchurch to Tonga: How one volunteer has helped to deliver lifesaving equipment

Manatu 'ofa ki Tonga – Remembering Tonga with love

At Volunteer Service Abroad Te Tūao Tāwāhi (VSA), we believe that strong partnerships and practical action can drive lasting change. For many returned volunteers, including Mark McMahon, that belief continues to shape how they work today.

Mark spent a year in Tonga accompanying VSA volunteer Holly Coulter, who worked as a Community Development Advisor with NRL Tonga from 2023-2024. While Mark was not on an official VSA assignment, he spent his time doing voluntary work in the local community, including supporting the set-up of Tonga’s national pharmaceutical warehouse – an important step in improving access to medicines and medical supplies. The experience not only strengthened Tonga’s health systems but also established strong connections with the people and local organisations. “It was really exciting and challenging at the same time,” he says. “It definitely came as a shock to the system operating in an environment with far fewer resources that we’re fortunate to have in New Zealand.”

Now back in New Zealand working as a Supply Chain Manager at Southern Cross Hospital (SCH) in Christchurch, Mark saw those connections come to life again when he came across some Ambi bags at SCH that were surplus to requirements. New Zealand's healthcare system changes quickly, with new medical devices and supplies released each year. Many of these devices are still in good condition but are no longer used because newer versions are available. As hospitals upgrade to the latest equipment, perfectly usable medical equipment and tools are often left unused. Mark's resourceful intuition, honed from his voluntary work in Tonga, ensured they were put to good use in the islands. “I saw the opportunity when I started working at Southern Cross Hospital in Christchurch to send items to Tonga and prevent them from going to waste.” Allowing more items to accumulate over time and after reaching out to a number of other local specialists, Mark managed to gather enough equipment to fill a shipping container. He reached out to Tina Mackie, VSA’s Tonga Programme Manager, who quickly confirmed through Marcelle Mafi, an active VSA volunteer Nurse Educator working with the Ministry of Health in Tonga, that Vaiola Hospital's Emergency Department could make immediate use of the equipment.

Accessing health resources in Tonga is often challenging, and many patients need to seek medical intervention abroad. However, the resourcefulness of the community, the connections made, and the voluntary services on the ground offer a resilient contrast. So, for Tina, this collaboration stood out. “It’s a pleasure to be working with Mark on this,” she says. “This will have a huge impact.”

Mark with a group of volunteers working together to load some beds and mattresses into the shipping container.

While the donation highlights the lasting impact of strong connections, they are just part of a larger story. On packing day, around 12 volunteers in Christchurch generously gave up their Saturday morning to come on-site in the rain and the cold to help package and load a large container full of essential medical equipment and supplies. This included 15 hospital beds and mattresses, ECG monitors, six wheelchairs, seven recliners for day-to-day surgeries, an operating table, and 15 trolleys from the PACU department, all cleaned, catalogued and ready for use, along with a wide range of consumables. The container, carefully packed and loaded by these volunteers, travelled from Christchurch and has made its way to Tonga where it is now passing through customs for clearance.

This story highlights what lasting impact looks like for VSA: volunteers using their skills, networks and commitment long after their time in-country has ended. In this case, Mark’s professional expertise and his connections as a Supply Chain Manager, combined with Tina’s local knowledge and VSA’s funding through a grant of $16,500 to go towards the shipment, turned this hospital storeroom discovery into vital equipment for frontline healthcare workers thousands of kilometres away.

What began as a year-long placement has evolved into an ongoing relationship that prevents waste, maximises resources, and strengthens community resilience. It highlights the ripple effect of Mark’s volunteering – a powerful reminder that the impact of volunteering doesn’t end on the flight back home, but grows through every connection maintained and every action taken to support communities.