Celebrating Pasefika Proud – 10 Years On

For more than a decade, Pasefika Proud has worked with Pacific communities to develop and deliver Pacific responses to Pacific issues. We were formed in 2011 in answer to the call for a government-supported Pacific response to issues of family violence in our communities. Since then, we have highlighted the key issues facing Pacific peoples in Aotearoa and the need for community-led solutions that aim to prioritise prevention.

The action and approaches taken since 2011 have changed over the years in response to evidence, policy development, community voices, and, of course, the needs of our peoples.

So now, in 2024, we are reflecting on, and celebrating, the past ten years of Pasefika Proud, inclusive of the many initiatives we have helped to set up and run across the country.

With this in mind we have commissioned an evaluation of our work called ‘Celebrating Pasefika Proud – 10 Years On’, which will demonstrate the progress achieved through our activity over those years.

It’s not just a chance to look back and feel good about what we have done. It also gives us the opportunity to make sure we are on track to deliver positive change for our Pacific families. The findings from the evaluation will help us to best design our practices for the future and the betterment of our peoples.

This year we will reach out to key partners (providers, community groups, etc.) who have been with us on the Pasefika Proud journey to date. After all, it was because of their help that we have been able to influence positive change for our communities. The participation of our partners is crucial to ensure that what we do is a true depiction of the work and outcomes achieved so far, and that our next steps will accurately serve the needs and aspirations of our communities.  

The participation of those providers and partners will be crucial to ensure that what we do is a true depiction of the work and outcomes achieved so far, and that our next steps will accurately serve the needs and aspirations of our communities.  

We are excited to partner with the brilliant team at Moana Connect for this evaluation. Moana Connect’s commitment to elevating Pacific stories and ensure our families and community voices are heard for better change aligns with the ethos of Pasefika Proud and what we want to achieve through this work.

Our project lead within the Pasefika Proud team is Senior Advisor Research, Mariah Fagaloa-Time. Mariah is of Samoan and Tongan descent, and her technical background in research and evaluation has a strong Pacific focus.  Mariah will support Moana Connect to engage with key partners to get them involved in our work and set us on the best path for another ten years of success with our Pacific families and communities.

For more information contact – Mariah Fagaloa-Time mariah.fagaloatime002@msd.govt.nz 

Pasefika Proud is a social change movement – ‘by Pacific for Pacific’ – to boost wellbeing for Pacific families and transform attitudes, behaviours and norms that enable violence. Our name and strapline embody our strengths-based, community-led approach: 

Pasefika Proud: Our Families, Our People, Our Responsibility 

Pasefika Proud embodies a vision of strong and vibrant Pacific children, young people, and their families. Wellbeing for Pacific families occurs when all aspects of the individual and collective are in balance, co-existing with environments, kinship and support systems while recognising mana and tapu. Pacific cultures are strengths that can be used positively to promote and enhance resilience within Pacific families.