Dr Faka’iloatonga Taumoefolau’s early life was beset with many challenges, with his parents separating when he was 9 years old and his mother passing away when he was 19 which meant relocation to Fiji to be brought up by an aunty. 

Despite these early setbacks Faka’iloatonga Taumoefolau in 2010 was awarded an Australian Aid scholarship and did his Masters (with Merit) in International Affairs at the Australia International University.  In 2017 he got a New Zealand Aid Programme Scholarship to study for his doctorate at Victoria University of Wellington and in September last year submitted his doctoral thesis titled: “Siutakaheahoafā: Navigating the Kingdom of Tonga’s national development priorities under international aid”, focusing on how foreign aid supports the national development priorities of Tonga.

Dr Taumoefolau has worked as a Research Analyst at the Australia High Commission and a Development Programme Coordinator at the New Zealand High Commission and while studying in Wellington worked for the Canada High Commission managing the Canada Fund delivering community funding to Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu .

He is currently leading the rebuild of the Tonga Parliament.  Dr Taumoefolau is on the line with us now malo e lelei Dr Taumoefolau and thank you for making time to talk with us this morning.