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Dr Ali'itasi at Samoa Capital Radio Photo: Samoa Capital Radio
"E ui ina tele taimi sa tauivi ai ma meaa’oga, ae ua tauia lo'u tautigā.”
E faatāua e Dr Ali'itasi Su’a Fuimaono Tavila le a’oga. O lona talitonuga mau, e taunu’u miti a tagata pe a maualuga le soifua a’oa’oina.
Sa soifua a’e Ali'itasi i Gagaifo i Lefaga ma Falelatai i Upolu. O le 1975 na malaga mai ai e a’oga faasikolasipi i Niu Sila.
Sa nonofo i Porirua āiga o Ali'itasi ma sa a’oga i le Kolisi o Porirua. Na o ia le teine na fanau i Samoa i totonu o le vasega ma sa lagona lona popole. Sa fai lana tala faapea: “E mafai ona sili atu a’u nai lo isi tamaiti i le vasega” ma o se talitonuga malosi na mafai ai ona faamanuiaina lona soifua a’oa’oina.
Na tu’ua e Ali'itasi le Kolisi o Porirua ae ulufale i le Hutt Valley High School ma sa nā o ia fo’i le tagata Samoa, e lē gata i lana vasega ae faapea le a’oga atoa.
Dr Ali'itasi at Samoa Capital Radio Photo: Samoa Capital Radio
Na faigaluega faaofisa ina ua mae’a ana a’oga i le Wellington Polytechnic ma sa lafo le tele o lona totogi i lona āiga i Samoa. Sa toe fo’i i Samoa e tausi ona mātua mo le 3 tausaga. O le faanaunauga o Ali'itasi e toe a’oga, na toe fo’i mai ai ma a’oga i le Iunivesetē ma o se tulaga faigatā mo se tagata matua. Ae o lona lototele ma lona talitonuga mau o lana inivesi lea mo lona lumana’i na faafaigofie ai ana a’oga
Sa faamanuiaina lona soifua a’oa’oina i faailoga o le: Bachelor in Social Work, Masters ma le PhD. I le taimi nei o lo o avea Dr Ali'itasi ma Faia’oga Sinia mo le faailoga o le Pasifika Health i le Iunivesetē o Vitoria i Ueligitone. Sa ta’utino e Dr Ali'itasi “e ui ina tele taimi sa tauivi ai ma meaa’oga, ae ua tauia lo'u tautigā”
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While she struggled many times during her studies, that struggle has been worthwhile.
Dr Ali'itasi Su’a Fuimaono Tavila is passionate about education. She firmly believes that higher education is a pathway which helps people achieve their dreams.
Ali'itasi grew up in Samoa, in the villages of Gagaifo i Lefaga and Falelatai (Upolu). She was only 14 years-old when she moved to New Zealand in 1975, after winning a scholarship to attend a New Zealand school.
Ali'itasi had family living in Porirua, so she decided to attend Porirua College. At that time she was the only Samoan-born student in her class. This made her feel nervous. To help herself overcome this, she told herself that she could be a better student than any of the other students in her class - and this powerful self-belief helped her succeed.
She soon left Porirua college to attend Hutt Valley High School. Once again she was the only Samoan student, this time in the entire school, which made her feel even more isolated.
After completing college she pursued a Secretarial course at Wellington Polytechnic. Once she started work, Ali'itasi sent nearly all of her wages to her family in Samoa. She eventually returned to Samoa, and spent 3 years looking after her parents.
Her desire to study brought her back to New Zealand and she began a university degree, a daunting prospect for any adult student. But once again Ali'itasi’s self-belief and understanding that this was an investment in her future carried her through. She subsequently completed a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work as well as a Masters degree and a PhD. After many years of hard work Dr Ali'itasi now works as a Senior Lecturer in Pasifika Health at Wellington’s Victoria University.
In hindsight, Ali'itasi reflects that while she struggled many times during her studies, that struggle has been worthwhile.
Dr Ali'itasi outside Samoa Capital Radio Photo: Samoa Capital Radio
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Samoa Capital Radio / Si'ufofoga o le Laumua Trust Photo: Samoa Capital Radio
Sa’ili Mālō is a series of stories recorded by Samoa Capital Radio for RNZ in the Samoan language told by early settlers who came to Aoteaora to seek opportunities and a better life for their families.
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