About Us

Kahiau Wellbeing Trust was born out of deep personal pain and an unwavering passion to make a difference. After losing our daughter Tatyana to suicide, we were faced with the harsh reality of the silence, stigma, and lack of culturally safe spaces within our Pasifika communities to talk about mental health. Her passing became our purpose.

“Kahiau” is a Hawaiian word that means to give generously without expecting anything in return — and that’s exactly what we stand for.

We started this trust to honour her memory and to prevent other families from facing the same loss. Our dream is to open Tatyana’s Talanoa Space — a safe, non-judgmental environment where anyone can come to be heard, supported, and uplifted. Until then, we run free workshops, youth and women’s programmes, wellbeing-focused events, and offer advocacy and support to help individuals and families access the help they need.

Our hope is to normalise conversations around mental distress, especially within Pasifika families, and to break the silence with love, cultural connection, and community. We want our people to know: you are not alone, and there is always a safe place for you here.

Kahiau Wellbeing Trust stands apart through lived experience, cultural grounding, and deep community connection. We are not just service providers — we are a Pasifika family who has walked the painful journey of suicide loss and turned it into purpose. Our unique approach blends cultural practices, talanoa (open conversation), creative workshops, and a spirit of unconditional giving. We honour our daughter’s legacy by creating safe spaces where people feel heard, not judged. Our work is real, heartfelt, and community-led — we walk alongside people, not in front of them. That’s the heart of Kahiau.

Our vision for Kahiau Wellbeing Trust is bold, purposeful, and deeply rooted in our lived experience. In the next few years, we aim to grow into a leading Pasifika-led wellbeing organisation that provides wraparound support for individuals, whānau, and communities facing mental distress.

One of our biggest goals is to establish Tatyana’s Talanoa Space – a permanent, culturally grounded safe space named in memory of our daughter. This will be a healing hub where people can come as they are, feel heard not judged, and access one-on-one support, group programs, creative healing activities, and cultural connection.

We also aim to deliver regular wellbeing and suicide prevention workshops across Auckland and eventually nationwide, expanding our reach to schools, youth groups, churches, and community hubs. These workshops will break stigma through fun, conversation, faith, art, movement, and shared stories.

As we grow, we envision building a strong team of lived experience leaders, mental health practitioners, and cultural facilitators – all dedicated to helping our community thrive.

At our heart, we want Kahiau to be a name that represents hope, safety, strength, and healing for our Pasifika people and beyond.