Le'autuli'ilagi Taotua Malaeta Sauvao
Le'autuli'ilagi Taotua Malaeta Sauvao, of Porirua, received the Insignia of a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the Samoan community. Mrs Sauvao, pictured after the ceremony with her family, has been involved in the Pacific Island community in Porirua for more than 30 years. She is notable for her research on the transition of Samoan Aoga Amata children to primary school, which is used in learning resources for early childhood education. She is a founding member of the organisation for the teaching and learning of the Samoan language: FAGASA, was national treasurer and is a member of the national executive. She was the Deputy Director of the Wellington Multicultural Education Resource Centre and is the regional coordinator for the Association of Presbyterian Women. Mrs Sauvao was a founding member of the Pacific Advisory Council which established the Whitireia Community Polytechnic and was the chairperson of the Polytechnic’s Pacific Advisory Committee.