Pasefika Midwives Collective

About Us

The Pasefika Midwives Collective

Our purpose is to provide midwifery services tailored specifically for our Pasefika community in New Zealand.

Combining our midwifery expertise and cultural background, our mission is to help Pasefika women and their families feel more comfortable and have their voices heard and represented in their birthing experience.

The first of our projects is the Tīna Intiative. Providing antenatal classes in a specifically Pacific context for Pacific women and their aiga in the region.

The Pacific Midwives involved in this project have an extensive range of expertise and knowledge between the three of them spanning over 25 years being involved in the Midwifery field.

Here is a bit about each of us in our own words.

Our Midwives

Penina Fitisemanu

Talofa my name is Penina Fitisemanu. I am Samoan and Swiss. Both my parents immigrated to New Zealand in 1958, my father from Switzerland and my mother from Samoa. She comes from the village of Saoluafata in Upolo. I was born in New Zealand and the youngest of 5 siblings.

I have been a Midwife since 1996 and was a Registered Nurse before that from 1989. I have worked in the hospital setting in all areas Antenatal, Birthing suite and Postnatal wards since graduating. In 1999 I moved out into the Community and became a Lead Maternity Carer (LMC) and continue to provide LMC care to Pacific women in the Wellington Central region since that time.

After all these years I continue to thoroughly enjoy the work that I do being a Midwife especially with my Pacific Midwife colleagues.

Fana Temese-To’omaga

Talofa, I am Fana, married to Peter To’omaga for 30+ years. Mother of Ferila, Joshua, Sera, Shekinah and Hadassah. I have worked in the health care sector for a number of years, starting with the Pacific Breastfeeding Team back in 2006 and moving into midwifery some time later.

My mother is from Moata’a, Vavau and Fagaloa, migrating to New Zealand in the late 60s. I am the youngest of three siblings.

I am currently working in the Porirua community as a Lead Maternity Carer (LMC) with Te Ao Marama Midwifery Tapui Ltd – with four amazing Maori and Pacific midwives. We work as a team and are committed to improving birthing experiences and outcomes for our mamas and their aiga.