About us
Elisapeta Vili (Kalaiesetete)
Ruta McKenzie (Kalaiesetete)
Leautuli’ilagi Sauvao (Ueligitone)
Tulimalefasi Isabella Tanielu-Dick (Ueligitone)
Savaliga Liko (Ueligitone)
Fou Alapati (Ueligitone)
Sofaea Penn (Aukilani)
Mere Autagavaia (Aukilani)
Lupe Vaueli (Aukilani)
Sala Faasaulala Tagoilelagi-Leota (Aukilani)
Salā Faasaulala Tagoilelagi-Leota is the Programme Leader of the National Diploma Teaching ECE Pasifika in the School of Education at the Auckland University of Technology (AUT). She is also a co-writer of the current Bachelor of Education ECE/Primary Pasifika Specialty. Salā lectures in the National Diploma and also in the M.Ed programme. At times she guest lectures in the B.Ed Pasifika specialty, B.Ed ECE/Primary and also in the Master of Leadership programme.
Salā is the current President of SAASIA (Sosaiete Aoga Amata Samoa I Aotearoa). The organisation has operated for over 20 years. SAASIA aims at promoting the interests of Samoan pre-school children and their parents and caregivers. This includes promoting a positive identity for Samoan people working with Samoan pre-school children and their parents and caregivers. SAASIA has been instrumental in the development of the Ta’iala o le Gagana Samoa (Samoan in the New Zealand curriculum) for the teaching of the Samoan language to pre-school children throughout New Zealand. It also promotes research and the exchange of information of all persons involved in the teaching of Samoan language to pre-school children. Salā and her executive team aim at publishing a book which documents Aoga Amata’s contribution to ECE in Aotearoa. She is also member of the MoE Northern Region Pasifika Advisory Group and the NZQA Pasifika ECE Review team.
Salā has reviewed papers for books and journals and have marked Master of Education theses from universities within Aotearoa. Her doctoral thesis focuses on a special journey children experience as they leave Aoga Amata for primary schooling.
In the community Salā was a judge at the Samoan stage for the ASB Polyfest for 5 years and is a regular guest on the Radio Samoa and Triangle TV for education issues. Salā hails from Vatia in American Samoa, Leauvaa, Moataa, Vaiala and Sapunaoa in Western Samoa.
Iolesina Faigame Tagoilelagi was born in Samoa and educated at Leififi Intermediate and St. Marys College. She gained an Early Childood Education (ECE) Certificate in NZ in 1997 and has completed papers on ECE from Massey University. She also holds a Diploma of Teaching ECE since 1993. Iolesina was awarded a Queens Service Medal (QSM) from the New Zealand Government in 2001 for her service in the development of Early Childhood Education for Pacific Island children in Aotearoa.
Iolesina has worked for the establishment and development of the institute of ECE in Samoa. She was a preschool teacher and lecturer in Samoa, Fiji and New Zealand for many years. Iolesina was also appointed to set up and supervise the children’s programme at the Pacific Theological College in Suva 1980. She was the coordinator of the Pacific Island Pre School Teacher Training Course at the University of the South Pacific Extension Services in Suva 1981 and was one of the writers.
She has travelled widely in the Pacific conducting trainings for teachers. Iolesina is a pioneer of the Sosaiete o Aoga Amata i Aotearoa (SAASIA) as well as the Pacific Island Early Childhood Council in Aotearoa (PIECCA) and was elected its first President, a role she served for many years. She started the Training of Pacific Island Preschool teachers through the New Zealand Childcare Association and was also a senior lecturer at the Auckland College of Education where she was one of the writers of the Diploma of Pacific ECE. Iolesina is now one of the patrons of SAASIA. Her passion has always been the holistic development of women and children. She has served the churches for 38 years with her late husband Rev Elder Faigame Elia Tagoilelagi in American Samoa, Samoa, Fiji and New Zealand.
She was the chairman of the Congregational Christian Church in Samoa EFKS Womens Fellowship, and was a chairman of the Elder Ministers Wives Fellowship. Iolesina is a mother, a grandmother and a great grandmother of thirteen children.
Le’autuli’ilagi Taotua Malaeta Faasapisapi Sauvao
MNZM, J.P. M.Ed., B.A., Dip TESL., Higher Dip Tchg., Cert in Small Business Management (T.W.O.A. NZ University).
Le’autuli’ilagi Taotua Malaeta Faasapisapi Sauvao is currently a lecturer/coordinator at Whitireia New Zealand. She is a writer and a researcher. She carried out managerial roles in the education field: e.g. National manager for Pacific Islands portfolio at the Early Childhood Development, a government agency in Wellington and was also Deputy Director at Wellington Multicultural Educational Resource Centre for six years.
Le’autuli’ilagi currently holds executive positions in many educational organisations; e.g. Regional president for the FAGASA Inc, Board member for SAASIA and is a committed elder in her Pacific Islands Presbyterian church where she is actively serving voluntarily as secretary and lay preacher.
Le’autuli’ilagi serves the Pacific community willingly and was awarded the Queen service medal (MNZM) in August 2009 for her community services and research work in Early Childhood Education. Her service in her role as Justice of the Peace for New Zealand is of great demand by the Porirua community. A great leader and an advocate who has the passion for the education of people of all ages.
Ruta McKenzie
Qualifications:
BTchg and Lng (ECE), Higher Dip Tchg, Cert Man (ECE), Dip Tchg (ECE), Dip Tchg (primary)
Title: Early Childhood Facilitator
I worked as an early childhood facilitator at UC Ed Plus at the University of Canterbury for over 5 years and began working for CORE- Education Ltd in 2010. I am a member of the Sa’asia organization and I also play a vital role in the Executive Committee. Prior to that I was teaching in a mainstream centre for 15 years and was also a centre supervisor.
As a Samoan I am privileged to work with teachers in mainstream and Pasifika settings. I am passionate and committed to supporting teachers who make a difference for children and families as they strive to reach their full potential.
My role in the Sa’asia executive committee keeps me motivated and pushes my own boundaries of delving deeper into cultural tools that reflect and strengthen my understanding about meeting the interests and needs of our fanau and families in the 21st century.
Fereni Pepe Ete ( Dip.Teaching, NZ.Trained Primary Teacher, Dip.Education.
B.A.(Vic. University) Adult Trainer Level 5 QSM, Tautai o le Gagana Award, )
Head of Early Childhood programmes
Pacific Training Insitute Wellington
Fereni Pepe Ete. Faavaeina le uluai A'oga Amata i Niu Sila i Ueligitone.( Aso 5 Mati 1985) i totonu o le Ekalesia Faapotopotoga Kerisiano i Ueligitone, sa galulue ai ma le Toeaina ia Risatisone i le 35 tausaga. Faavaeina le A'oga Fa'afaiaoga o Aoga Amata 9 Setema 1987. Lea ua i totonu nei o le Pacific Training Institue. O loo galue ai pea e o'o mai i le taimi nei. Peresetene Asosi o Aoga Amata Ueligitone 1986 - 1990. Peresetene lona 2 mo le SAASIA.Uluai failautusi mo le PIECCA ina o fa'ato'a faavaeina. Peresetene mo le FAAEA ( Faapotopotoga o a'oga amata Ekalesia Faapotopotoga Kerisiano i Samoa). Tusitusiina o tala mo tamaiti laiti, fatu pese, ma tauloto mo aoga amata ma Aoga Aso Sa.
4 Young Grove Stokes Valley
Lower Hutt, Wellington 5019
Hm: 9711234; Wk: 5677840
e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Talofa lava. O a’u o Fou Alapati. Sa ou fanau i Sapunaoa i Falealili ile aso fitu o Setema 1961 (07/09/1961). O o’u tua’a o Suailua Alapati Pata mai Salani, Sapo’e, Matatufu ma Lotofaga, o lo’u tina o Sileiloa Fafo Silulu Leavasa mai Sapunaoa Falealili ma Iva i Savai’i.
Sa ou aoga i Logologo Tulagalua ma le aoga fa’aitumalo i Poutasi Falealili ma le Kolisi o Avele i Samoa.
Sa ou galue muamua ile Samoan Coconut oil limited i Vaitele 1983 ona maua lea o le avanoa fa’afaigaluega ile NPF ile 1984 -1988.
I le tausaga 1989-1990 sa ou mauaina le avanoa faigaluega ile Ofisa telefoni (Telecommunication) ile vaega o le Satelite (Satelite Earth Staiton unit).
Sa fa’agasolo le auaunaga ile 1991-1992 ina ua fa’amanuiaina ile avanoa ‘Ofisa Lisene mo pisinisi’ Business License Officer’ ile Ofisa o Lafoga. Sa ou galue foi ile vaega mo le sailia o tupe ‘Accounts recovery officer’.
O Novema o le 1992 na ou malaga mai ai i Niu Sila mo le taimi muamua e asiasi i aiga ile pemita asiasi.
1993-1994 sa ou galue fesoasoani mo le fa’aliliuina o tusi aoga mo tamaiti Samoa ile Aoga a Windley School i Porirua. O le aoga lea sa masani mai ai ma le tina ia Leautuli.
O le tausaga 2000 sa ou galue fesoasoani ai mo le Aoga amata i Pomare ao ‘playgroup’. O le tausaga foi lea na ou iai ile Komiti fa’afoe a le Aoga Pomare ma aumai ai loa le Aoga Amata e fa’aauau ile tasi potu aoga o le aoga tulaga lua.
2002-2004 sa ou aoga ile Aoga fa’afaiaoga i Wellinitone (Wellington College of Education). Faamanuiaina le taumafai ile fa’ailoga ole ‘Bachelor of Education (Teaching) Primary.’
2005 –2011: galue mo le taitaina (Centre Manager) o le Fetu Ao o Pomare Aoga Amata Inc.
Galuega mo le lautele (community involvement/responsibilities):
2002-2011- A’oa’o fesoasoani/taitai lagolago ile ekalesia ‘Samoan Christian Bible Fellowship i Stokes Valley.
2000-2011 sui o matua ile Komiti Fa’afoe a Pomare School
2006-2011 –sui o matua ile Komiti Fa’afoe a Avalon Intermediate
2010 – 2011 –sui o matua ile Komiti Fa’afoe a Taita College.
2010 – 2011 – sui o le Komiti a le SAASIA.
Mere Talosaga Autagavai
I am a qualified registered Early Childhood Teacher and just completed a B.ed in Early Childhood Education. I was also a church ministers wife in the Otahuhu Parish for 32 years. It was through this role that I became the Pulega Manukau i Sisifos Womens Fellowship for 14 years. Established Seugagogo Aoga
Amata for the Otahuhu Samoan Community in 1993. Since the establishment of the Aoga Amata I was
working as a Licensee/supervisor.until my role was changed to a Licensee/ manager in 1997,until I left the
Aoga Amata and our church community at the end of 2009.
An old member of SAAFA and SAASIA.
At the moment I am not working but a member of SAASIAs Excecutive committee for the Auckland Region.
