The Aoga Amata Transnational Aotearoa Ltd (AATA), a New Zealand-based organisation led by three Samoan women has stepped in to lend a hand to Samoa's educational system through early childhood education.

In an interview with the Samoa Observer, one of the founders of the organisation, Salā Pafitimai Dr Fa’asaulala Tagoilelagi-Leota said AATA is working on promoting the Samoa language, culture and more about the Fa'asamoa to countries outside of New Zealand including Samoa, Hawaii, Tokelau, American Samoa and Australia.

"We have one main vision focusing on the Samoan language, culture, and Christianity to drive the students through early childhood education," she said.

"We are upping our game by reaching out outside of New Zealand to work together with education sectors in other countries for the betterment of the children of Samoa based in other countries especially in overseas countries other than Samoa."

AATA will assist by providing certificates or qualifications for early childhood education students, provide programs that can revive Samoan heritage and Measina (treasures), and several other programs.

According to Sala, their work has been recognised in New Zealand with early childhood education schools emphasising these Samoan programs and initiatives such as using the Samoan weaved mat in schools and so forth.

"This is the cultural knowledge, that is our point of ethics to the early childhood education in the world and that makes these schools different from other early childhood educations and," she added.

"It's up to us how we drive it because we own the intellectual property and it's also for the communities to also lend a hand and do something for the development of our Samoan children.

"This is so that the Western knowledge doesn't dominate the minds of the Samoan children."

Sala had approached leaders of the education sectors in the involved countries about their initiative including the Chief Executive Officer (C.E.O) of Education, Aeau Chrius Hazelman whom she met last week to discuss their plans.

"He's pretty impressed with the work that we've done and he said we shouldn't reinvent the work when we've already started and they will also reach out to us for the South Pacific ECE (Early Childhood Education) Forum that will be held in two years time."

"AATA will participate in this forum by contributing some knowledge on early childhood education because it's basically a collaboration so that all early childhood educations are at the same pace and not just for some schools to be at a fast pace when the other schools are behind."

AATA's vision is for Samoan children to defend and celebrate their contributions.

"All children belong to a family, village, district and a nation. Children are a tofi, suli, feagaiga with fa'alupega and gafa that claims them as their. We want children to thrive and be proud of their identity and heritage as secured cultural identity leads to successful later learning."

AATA believes in the mana of children's cultural values to nurture, maintain and revitalize their wellbeing and spiritual existence. Living life to its fullest potential abroad, children are the knowledge holders for their future generations in cultural intelligence.

The AATA is operated by three successful Samoan women in education in New Zealand including Sala, Dr Tafili Utumapu-McBride, and Associate Professor Jacoba Matapo.

Salā Pafitimai Dr Fa’asaulala Tagoilelagi-Leota (Researcher @ Ministry for Pacific Peoples) has provided professional development for teachers and presented at conferences internationally on various topics. She has significant experience (29 years) in organisational leadership and management at executive and governance levels within tertiary institutions

Dr Tafili Utumapu-McBride a senior lecturer and programme leader at AUT University in Auckland. This is her 30th year teaching in the tertiary sector, with humble beginnings as a postgraduate student who provided tutoring and mentoring for Māori and Pacific Island students at the University of Auckland.

Associate Professor Jacoba Matapo (Associate Dean Pasifika @ University of Auckland) has more than 14 years' experience in educational leadership, ranging from ITE leadership across institutions through to ECE centre management and leadership. Jacoba has led several funded Pasifika education-focused research projects targeted at grounding Pacific philosophy in education for the success of Pasifika peoples in education.