Emeline Afeaki-Mafile'o

Emeline Afeaki-Mafile'o
Bornc.1976
Tonga
NationalityNew Zealand
EducationMassey University

Emeline Afeaki-Mafile'o (c.1976 - ) OM is a New Zealand activist for Pasifika people in Auckland.

Early life and work

Afeaki-Mafile'o was born in Tonga to Pat and Edith Afeaki. She said that she never read a book until she was nineteen[1] however she later attended Massey University where she graduated and then took a master's degree in philosophy.[2]

In 2001 at the age of 25[1] she was running her own mentoring service.[2] The service went on to employ 100 people to deliver support to 5,000 Pasifika young people in Auckland.[2]

She runs a community café in the Auckland suburb of Ōtāhuhu. She and her family own a coffee factory in Tonga and the coffee is sent to New Zealand to support her work.[2]

Awards

In 2006 she was given a Sir Peter Blake Emerging Leader Award.[3]

In 2013 she won the Community Service and Social Enterprise category of the New Zealand Women of Influence Awards.[4]

In 2016 she was awarded an Order of Merit for her work with the Pacific communities as part of the New Year Honours.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b "Conversations: Biggest struggle for Pacific kids in NZ is understanding their parents, says Emeline Afeaki-Mafile'o". NZ Herald. March 2019. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d Massey University. "Emeline Afeaki-Mafile'o – Massey University". www.massey.ac.nz. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
  3. ^ a b "Emeline Afeaki-Mafile'o receives New Zealand Order of Merit | Scoop News". www.scoop.co.nz. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
  4. ^ "Women of Influence 2016: Meet our alumni". Stuff. June 2016. Retrieved 27 September 2017.