TEAM Tonga 2022 will be representing our home country nation The Kingdom of Tonga to 2022 FIRST Global Challenge. Unfortunately, we couldn’t make it the last two years (2020-2021) due to Covid-19 restrictions and limited time. However, we are grateful and immensely excited to be back full gear for a fruitful journey and challenges to face from this event of Carbon Capture Game. As the moral for this game is about the removal of carbon, for thus it is the contribution to the rising of heat being trapped in our atmosphere that leads to big issues of effects being mostly experienced by the Pacific Islands, and as well around the world. The University of The South Pacific – Tonga (USP) is in charge of selecting the team members for TEAM Tonga 2022. This year’s selection was based on career pathways of these students and the highly performance they performed at their school. Additionally, their willingness to develop more knowledge. In this team, our manager is the Tonga campus director of the university, Dr. Robin Havea. As well with two mentors, namingly Nofo Fonua ‘I-Muli Hakaumotu as the Technical Main Mentor, and Lofan Tupou as the Technical Assistant Mentor. The members of the team are given below with a short bibliography about themselves (from left to right in the photo).

Ro Asela Tapuapou Lydia Fono Hake He Kelesi Taukafa (Spoke Person / Designer)
Hello, my name is Ro Taukafa, and I am 18 years of age. I am the fourth child of a total of six. I was born and raised in Fiji for 17 years and recently moved into Tonga in April this year (2022), now residing in Ma’ufanga. I previously attended St. Josephs Secondary School in Fiji and now I am currently enrolled in the University of the South Pacific, taking Foundation Science. Asides from studying, I have a passion for music, and I like to sing from time to time. However, I am very much interested in science, as I wish to pursue a career in the medical field. Also meeting other people from other countries and learn from each other on this journey event, it will be much fun and a huge experience to absorb from.

Lavinia Roberta Keish Lataipouvalu Taumohaapai (Driver / Designer)
Hi, my name is Lavinia Taumoha’apai. I am a Citizen of the Kingdom of Tonga (born in 2004). I have a great passion in Science Subjects especially biological, chemicals, physical effects created by human and natural disasters affecting our environment from which we survive and live upon. I am looking forward to this trip especially to Europe, Geneva and I hope to learn from comparative studies of different aspects of life we live in the South Pacific and Europe as a Continent. Thank you to the management team of….2022 FIRST GLOBAL CHALLENGE CARBON CAPTURE- GENEVA…in granting us this great opportunity, once in a lifetime.

Sione ‘Ofa-Ki-Melipoane Pau-Pe-‘E-‘Eiki Ve‘ehala (Driver / Programmer)
Hello, my name is Sione ‘Ofa Ve’ehala, and I am 18 years of age. I’m the second eldest of 8 children, 4 girls and 4 boys including me. I love playing different types of sports including rugby, pickleball, basketball and many other more. I’m currently a student of Liahona High School and taking Foundation Science at USP Tonga. In the future I want to become a Civil Engineer that would one day make Tonga a better place. In my free time, I’d go hang out with friends or go out playing. This is an opportunity for me to learn and experience the real world and help deepen my imagination of robotics technology. As that being mentioned about myself, I’m excited to be part of this new adventure to explore and meet new people of other races in this global challenge. This is part of my journey towards my future pursuer, an opportunity like this, I’m grateful and proudly stand to represent my country to this tournament.

‘Uluakiola He Lotu Funganiua He Teleolosia Parkville Fine (Team Leader / Programmer / Spoke Person)
Mālō e lelei. My name is ʻUluaki Fine, I am eighteen years old. I recently finished Tupou College and am now a student at the University of the South Pacific (USP). I grew up in Tonga at Haveluloto. Growing up I have always been interested in technologies and how they work, I am proud to have been selected as a member of the team representing Tonga for the FIRST GLOBAL CHALLENGE. I hope that my skills will be useful for my team and that I will learn more from them and from this competition diving into the development of the future. As a team leader, looking forward for a chemistry of bonding with my team and as well to everyone whom are participating in this event.

Mahonilai Molianikama Hakaumotu (Co-Team Leader / Programmer)
Malo e lelei, my name is Mahonilai Hakaumotu. I come from a nuclear family of four members. I’m the youngest in the children which is only two, my older sister and myself, and I’m eighteen years of age. I formerly attended Tonga College ‘Atele, a boarding school for boys only and now enrolling in the University of The South Pacific. My study career is to be a Civil Engineer. I have always taken interest in the physics and design tech subjects at school. In that I would spend most of my time surfing the internet about new technician creations of this modern time, with my curiosity about the design and the exquisite construction of our environment, its effectiveness, and efficient ways. I am grateful to be selected in participating for this event representing my little country Island the Kingdom of Tonga, and to meet new people from other countries especially learning from each other.

Team Media

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