Helena Kaho of New Zealand and Tongan origin is the first Pacific Islander to join the academic staff at Auckland Law School as Assistant Lecturer this year.

Born and raised in Auckland to mother Beverley and Tongan father the late Tavake Kaho, who was one of the first Pacific psychiatric nurses in New Zealand in the 1970s.

The University of Auckland reported that Helena's achievement comes after struggling to focus and loosing interest in school. She had her first child at 18 and was a mother of four by the time she was 26.

Helena who attended St Mary’s College didn't enjoy her early school years, cutting classes missing out most of her fourth form year. She was then sent to Tonga where she attended Tupou High School before returning to finish her final year at St Mary’s.

She said it was the knowledge that people said she “had ruined her life and would never amount to anything”, which made her want to prove something to herself and others.

Helena first became a qualified a beauty therapist and was working from home when her children were small, freelancing and doing make-up for weddings. “I enjoyed it but I also knew it wasn't what I wanted to do forever and started thinking about what else I could do,” she said.

“I knew that if I made an effort, I could achieve a lot more. I wanted to do something impressive, something that would show them I could make something of my life.”

Achievement

Helena reached her achievement by graduating with BA, LLB (Honours) and LLM (Honours) after joining the University of Auckland's New Start preparation and bridging program, which helps over-20s who don't have University Entrance passes, to take their first step into university.

She then became the Law School’s Pacific Academic Coordinator, a full-time position she combined with her Masters studies, which she completed in 2012.

Helena then took up a two-year contract as a solicitor at Browne Harvey & Associates in the Cook Islands before returning to Auckland after 16 months due to her father's terminal illness.

Helena now lectures on the topic of Law and Society and researches Pacific Island issues.

She likes that she is once again in a position where she can support Pacific students at law school and cites the Pacific Island Law Students Association as an example.

“Our Pacific students are coming together and achieving great things – we’ve got good faculty support and there’s lots of collaboration with other student associations – there’s a good vibe."

Helena also said it's wonderful that the faculty has hired a Pacific lecturer. “I'm both proud and humbled to be that person,” she said.

"I don't think we can underestimate the positive impact on Pacific students when they can sit in a lecture and see someone who looks like them up there at the front teaching. I am both proud and humbled to be that person."