Pacific Womens Sports Leadership Programme
Pitisi Veatupu – Tonga
Pitisi Veatupu is a visionary young sports administrator from Tonga who has dedicated her career to promoting physical activity and empowering women through sport. She currently serves as an Assistant Sport Development Officer in the Sports and Active Recreation Division of Tonga’s Ministry of Internal Affairs. Hearing the news that she had been selected as one of only ten participants from across the Pacific Islands to join the pilot of the Unique Pacific Women in Leadership Program filled her with gratitude and a sense of privilege. It is a thrilling opportunity for her to learn from others, share ideas, and grow as a leader in women’s advocacy.
As a sports administrator, Pitisi is acutely aware that Tonga faces a crisis of overweight and obesity, with women being disproportionately affected. Her division’s core function is to develop sports at the grassroots level, not only as a pathway to careers in sport, but also as a means of improving overall physical health. Pitisi sees the sports arena as a crucial area for women to participate in management and operations, and she is perfectly positioned to take a leadership role in advocating for gender equity and leadership in sport.
Pitisi’s action plan proposal encompasses two community outreach programs, Kau Mai Tonga Ketau Fakamalohisino (KMT) and Fiefia Tonga Sports. Both initiatives focus on promoting physical activity and having fun through organized sports events. KMT is a come-and-try event that partners with at least five National Sports Federations to provide community members with an opportunity to try out different sports and discover new talents. The warm-up session includes dancing or Zumba, followed by rotating drills in various sports. Fiefia Sports, on the other hand, is an event that is exclusively for registered employees of government and non-government sectors to have fun, share thoughts in sports, and engage in physical activity. Pitisi sees these events as crucial tools for promoting healthy lifestyles and preventing lifestyle diseases such as hypertension, heart attacks, diabetes, and cancer.
Pitisi recognizes that measuring the effectiveness and impact of these events is a challenge, but she is committed to finding ways to improve the outcomes. She plans to seek help on this issue and explore alternative strategies if sports bodies fail to show up for organized events. Her ultimate goal is to promote sports as a tool for empowering women and creating a healthier, stronger Tonga.
