Jan Tauoma, co-founded the first Samoan early childhood center in New Zealand, A'oga Fa'a Samoa. Over the last 40 years, she's seen thousands of students immersed in their culture and championed the training of bilingual teachers in Aotearoa. Her background as a teacher in Samoa and her commitment to preserving Samoan culture led her to establish the center in 1984. She later supported struggling Pasifika centers through the Ministry of Education and developed a Pasifika Diploma in Teaching (ECE). Her contributions were recognised with a Queen's Service Medal in 2014 and life membership in 2012. She shares her life story with Mihingarangi Forbes.