Family, health, wellbeing and education sums up the things that matter the most to Latu To'omaga.
The New Zealand-born Samoan solo father of three lives in Porirua, where he dedicates his life to assisting and educating others across several areas.
During the COVID-19 lockdown, the educator is extending his knowledge and expertise through a series of online wellbeing videos.
“I would say everything in my life, my work, profession, community, family and my friends inspired me to make these videos,” Latu says.
Latu brings a wealth of knowledge and wide scope of skills to these videos as a SKIP (strategies for kids information for parents) champion for Oranga Tamariki and Ministry of Social Development contractor for Work and Income in Wellington, working with solo parents with health and wellbeing issues.
Latu is a qualified teacher and presenter for Brainwave Trust Aotearoa, educating around neuroscience and the importance of the early and adolescent years of life, and to top it off, he is also a fitness instructor and assessor.
“I really like to exercise and try to encourage Pacific and Maori young people to push play with their families.”
Since the lockdown, Latu has been planning the video series on selfcare, parenting, creative structures, health and wellbeing and neuroscience (adolescence, primary and early years), and he says he will continue creating more content to ensure peoples’ wellbeing at home in this new environment.
“The goal is to motivate, encourage and inspire families they are doing the best they can, that no one is perfect and there are no perfect parents out there.
“I also want to show we are a community willing to reach out and be present, while offering love, kindness, prayers, encouragement, and support where we can.”