NZ Society - Emeline Afeaki-Mafile'o: A Woman to Watch

The sentiment 'all great things come from small beginnings' could easily have been written about Emeline Afeaki-Mafile'o. Determined to pursue a love for helping others, Emeline established a support services agency at the age of 25, run from a two-bedroom unit in the Auckland suburb of Papatoetoe. A decade on more than 5,000 South Auckland students have passed through the many mentoring programmes her agency, Affirming Works, helps run. And late last year in recognition for her hard work, Emeline won the inaugural Women of Influence award for Community Service and Social Enterprise. Lisa Thompson meets Emeline and finds out why she has been labelled as a 'woman to watch' by her peers.

Gallery: Small beginnings

Emeline Afeaki Mafile'o