Sakalia, of Tokelauan and Samoan descent, shared about his upbringing and how he began his journey towards financial independence and building an asset base for his family.
He encouraged the room to be tenacious and courageous in their financial endeavours.
“It is never too late to start and it’s really important to be bold. Sometimes we have to do what feels uncomfortable for us as Pacific people, but what it could mean for our families far outweighs that feeling.”
He then joined a panel of inspirational guests chaired by Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) Group Director of Finance, Jerry Ielemia, including Ani Pauta, a Registered Nurse and Navigator from Pacific Health Plus, Nora Swann, a Creative Entrepreneur who runs her own fashion and wellbeing business, and Taulagi Sitivi, a Whānau Ora client with the Auckland Village Trust.
Pauta shared her experience as a previous Whānau Ora client, acknowledging the support her family received to now being able to own a home, gain qualifications and now help other families do the same.
Sitivi, currently registered with the Whānau Ora programme, expressed her gratitude for the support she received. She touched on some of the hurdles she had to overcome to arrive at the place her family is now in.
“The biggest hurdle for me, and I think for a lot of our Pacific families, is our silence. Instead of reaching out, we try to keep things to ourselves.
“Once I let go of this fiapoko mentality, I was able to build all these relationships and ask for help, ask for a food parcel, and finally realise that I can do this.”
Swann closed the panel by sharing words of wisdom to educators in the room who are navigating conversations with young people about pursuing their parents dream versus pursuing their own.
“Fashion isn’t a traditional pathway for Pacific people, so my family were against it at first. But I found a balance, working to put food on the table while still pursuing my passion. As my business started to grow, I ended up working part-time, and now I’m working full-time and doing what I love.
“I would say to our young people, never give up and keep going.”