Raised by the Village: Fakatuʻamelie ʻO Mohetaha LTD’s Generational Impact

Down a driveway on Universal Drive, a garage has become a busy and buzzing hub for the West Auckland Tongan community. It’s here, surrounded by the scent of kava, and the sound of laughter, that generations of Tongan families gather and the work happening inside carries deep meaning.

This is the home of Fakatuʻamelie ʻO Mohetaha Ltd, a community trust that has supported the Tongan community of Ranui and Henderson since 1993. Born from a desire to care for the community in practical, spiritual, and cultural ways, the trust has become a pillar for men, women, elders, children, and youth alike.

At the heart of their youth programme is Otai Legacy - named after the traditional Tongan drink made by combining fresh ingredients to create something nourishing and strong. It’s a metaphor for their approach to youth work: when you mix the right ingredients - identity, support, leadership, and culture - the result is powerful.

After school, young people head straight to the Kalapu (Club), and are met by elders who support them with homework, share stories, and guide them through life’s questions. It’s not a formal classroom - it’s a place where generations learn from each other naturally, through conversation, patience, and care.

The young people also learn the Tongan language, values, and alphabet through Talanoa Ako sessions. This isn’t just about preserving language… it’s about strengthening identity. When youth know who they are and where they come from, they begin to walk with more confidence in the world.

Recently, Fakatuʻamelie ʻO Mohetaha ran a learner licence course for 12 youth. Ten of them walked away with their driver’s licence - an achievement that brought pride not just to the young people, but to the whole village behind them. It wasn’t just about driving; it was about freedom, independence, and self-belief.

In another initiative, the trust partnered with RAD (Recycle A Device) to introduce a computer technician course. Youth learned how to repair laptops and even kept the ones they worked on. It was a practical way to build digital literacy and plant seeds for future pathways in tech and entrepreneurship.

Fellowship and faith remain central to the trust’s work. The hub is also home to a weekly kava gathering where ideas are shared, programmes are planned, and insight is gathered. Young people see leadership in action through presence.

Sport plays a big part in how they connect too. Weekly indoor netball keeps the group active, and the annual youth sports camp brings everyone together to recharge, worship, and reflect. While the camp is faith-based, it’s open to all denominations, creating a space where every young person feels safe to be themselves. “We use sport to draw them in,” a youth leader said. “But what we’re really doing is reminding them who they are - Tongan, loved, and capable.”

Being so close to local schools, their garage-turned-community-hub has become a second home to many. Some come for help with homework, others for a game or to practice their Tongan. But all of them leave with something more - a deeper sense of connection, pride, and belonging.

This is proudly supported by the Olaga Lei initiative, which uplifts 12 Pasefika-by-Pasefika organisations working to strengthen wellbeing in their communities. It is backed by the Le Moana West Collective — a powerful network committed to empowering Pacific-led, systemic change in West Auckland and beyond.