Meet our Tupu Tai alumni

Maria Mahoni: Malo e lelei, my name is Maria Mahoni and I was placed this summer at the Ministry for Innovation, Business and Employment. 

Komal Singh: Ni Sa Bula Vinaka, my name is Komal Singh and I was placed that the Department for Prime Minister and Cabinet in their national assessment bureau. 

Kristoffer Mataio Lavasi'i: Talofa lava, my name is Kristoffer Mataio Lavasi’i and I have been interning with the Te Kawa Mataaho - the Public Services Commission. 

Why is the Tupu Tai internship important for our Pasifika people? 

Maria Mahoni: I think it was a good chance to implement, influence and contribute to change in the public sector. 

Komal Singh: I think it is important to have the people affected by these policies to be in the space where you actually create them.  Having us in the space to inform policy making is so important. 

Kristoffer Mataio Lavasi'i: Tupu Tai is one of those mechanisms that gives a voice to the voiceless, to allow people who feel invisible and unseen to be seen and more importantly, to be heard. 

What was your learning moment? 

Maria Mahoni: Like accepting it’s okay to agree to disagree, with not only my colleagues but also with my managers. 

Komal Singh: I think a learning moment for me was learning to back myself more and to really believe I belong here. I eventually learnt that I do belong in this space and that my lived experiences are just as valuable as anyone else's. 

Kristoffer Mataio Lavasi'i: So learning how to, I guess, be at peace with myself and more importantly to acknowledge I am myself is enough.  And to take that into those spaces and into my work - that was the learning. 

Maria Mahoni: Malo e lelei, my name is Maria Mahoni and I was placed this summer at the Ministry for Innovation, Business and Employment.

Komal Singh: Ni Sa Bula Vinaka, my name is Komal Singh and I was placed that the Department for Prime Minister and Cabinet in their national assessment bureau. 

Kristoffer Mataio Lavasi’i: Talofa lava, o lo'u igoa o (my name is) Kristoffer Mataio Lavasi’i and I have been interning with the Te Kawa Mataaho - the Public Services Commission. 

What was your winning moment? 

Maria Mahoni: I think it was being able to connect with strong independent like minded game changers at our three Mana Moana retreats. 

Komal Singh: My winning moment was to finish the assessment that I wrote in relation to the Royal Commission Inquiry on the Christchurch terrorist attack. I was really grateful to actually produce something tangible and help my people in that sense as well. 

Kristoffer Mataio Lavasi’i: I think one of my biggest winning moments was actually just being with the interns. To be surrounded by pure Pasifika excellence is something that unfortunately we get enough of, both in the tertiary space and in general. 

In three words describe your journey at your internship. 

Komal Singh: In three words...um… alofa, enriching and whanau.

Kristoffer Mataio Lavasi’i: Uplifting, enriching and intergenerational. 

Maria Mahoni: Reflective, fun and inspirational. Thank you.