Kelston couple offer workouts to empower and mentor youth

What started as a casual workout has become a bustling training and mentorship hub for youth in West Auckland.

Semisi and Lavinia (Nia) Faleofa are the couple behind Fahi On, a space that empowers and promotes social change for Kelston youth.

“Some of the young men and women that do come to us have been told that they won't amount to anything, that success is far-fetched for them,” Nia said.

“They've been expelled from school; they're really naughty, and for me and Misi, it's more of creating a safe space and guiding them into tapping into their potential.”

It began in 2020, when Semisi worked as a Section Commander at the New Zealand Defence Force’s Youth Development Unit Northand was approached afterwards by two high school students who wanted support in joining the military.

Nia said her husband agreed to help and initially thought that was the end.

“Then, one day, they just showed up at our house after school and were ready to train. And so following this, another couple of boys joined the group, and then the word got out.”

Nia and her husband transformed their garage into a training area, which later expanded to include girls. The goal was to help youth who didn’t gel with conventional schooling.

The Fahi On team started with a group of young men who wanted to join the military. Photo/Supplied

“Anyone looking to start their journey, whether in fitness, career aspirations, or personal growth, is welcome to join us. Our vision is to guide the next generation and help our people excel."

The Tongan word fahi means ‘to break’ or ‘to smash’, and Nia said it became a mantra during the initial months of training.

“During these sessions, which were quite hard, the phrase 'Fahi On’ was frequently used by these young men, and it came to symbolise the concept of pushing through pain, overcoming challenges, surpassing perceived physical limitations during these training sessions and the phrase resonated deeply with us and eventually became the name we adopted.”

The couple have since supported ten youth into the Navy and Army, and are currently working with others to join the Police and rugby development squads. Other youth are being encouraged to seek job opportunities.

“We've supported one individual with his business entrepreneurship, becoming a tattoo artist … and one of our regular Fahi On members is the retail and operations assistant manager for Eden Park Catering, and he has been instrumental in helping some of our young men and women gain entry into the workforce.”

Most of the participants are from Kelston, but others come from South and Central districts.

Nia expressed gratitude to the sponsors that supported their Longest Day event at the start of the year, a seven-hour workout from Kelston to Waikumete, but said most of their work is self-funded.

“For Misi and I, it's not about the money. For us, we believe that the work we're doing through Fahi On is not only our calling but also our way of fulfilling our purpose and ministry.”

Semisi (James) Faleofa was named the NZDF Person of the Year in 2022. Photo/NZDF

Dedication to service

In 2022, Semisi (James) Faleofa was named the NZDF Person of the Year. At the time, the local recruiting team leader described his work as “truly amazing”.

“Singlehandedly, with support from his wife, he is doing more than any initiative or school who are backed by various resources.

“Even if life in uniform doesn’t eventuate for all of those LYDS Faleofa works with, these young men are better people and will become great employees to any future employer, with his support.”