The Mustard Seed Projects - TONGA

19/06/2026

Part 2 is now live on YouTube 🎥

Vika opens up about the road to diagnosis.

A powerful reminder that every child deserves understanding, acceptance, and opportunity.

In this heartfelt conversation, Vika Akauola shares her journey of ...

19/06/2026

Part 1 is now live. 🎥

Vika courageously shares of navigating life with an Autistic Child. Her story is one of strength, resilience, and unconditional love.

Part 1: What’s Happening in Tonga?In this first episode, Vika Aka...

19/06/2026

A conversation that needs to be had. 💙

Join us as Vika Akauola introduces herself following a part 1 & part 2

Partnered with NZHC & filmed at Lalo Niu Studios

Vika Akauola shares her powerful journey as a mother raising a chil...

18/06/2026

It's not all doom and gloom here!

Vika shares some fun and helpful insights into how she communicates with her son Na'ati who lives with autism and how she's made it work for her.

Raising children with disabilities can be challenging, but it takes a lot of humility, and a little bit of imagination to meet them at their level of understanding.

We are thankful for New Zealand High Commission, Nuku'alofa, Tonga's partnership to enable parents like Vika to share their story, challenge the stigma around disability and raise awareness on neurodevelopmental disability.

17/06/2026

🎥 Part One drops this Friday on YouTube!

In the meantime, we’ll be sharing more powerful snippets from our conversation with Vika Akauola right here on our page.

These short clips offer a glimpse into the realities of raising a child with autism in Tonga, the challenges families face, and the hope for a more inclusive future.

A special thank you to New Zealand High Commission for supporting this important conversation, and to Lalo Niu Studios for beautifully capturing and producing the series.

Stay tuned… the conversation is just getting started. 💙

16/06/2026

Stigma in Tonga 💔

For countless of others who walk these similar paths in Tonga…

The greatest gift your child can receive is a parent who refuses to let stigma determine their future.

Every conversation matters…

Every story has the power to challenge stigma…

A special thank you to Vika Akauola for her courage, honesty, and willingness to share the parts of her journey that are often left unspoken.

15/06/2026

Meet Vika. 💙

A mother who dared to dream of a more inclusive future for her son and for all children who learn differently just like him in Tonga 🇹🇴

Her story is one of hope, courage, and the belief that every child deserves the opportunity to thrive.

15/06/2026

🎙️ Real Conversations. Real Families. Real Experiences.

At The Mustard Seed Projects, we believe some of the most powerful lessons come not from textbooks, but from the lived experiences of parents navigating life every day.

We sat down with Vika Akauola, a devoted Mother raising a son with autism in Tonga, to have honest and unfiltered conversations about the realities many families face behind closed doors.

We’ll talk about:
💙 The joys and challenges of parenting a child with autism
💙 Navigating school, community, and everyday life in Tonga
💙 Breaking stigma and misconceptions
💙 What support families really need
💙 The hopes and dreams parents have for their children

These conversations won’t be scripted. They won’t be polished. They will be real.

Because every family’s journey matters, and by sharing our stories, we help build a Tonga where no child and no parent feels alone.

Join us as we listen, learn, and grow together.

A special thanks to the team at Tutu on the Beach for always delivering quality and capturing the essence of our conversations.

05/06/2026

29/05/2026

A special acknowledgement to Martin Nabola, Social Policy Specialist at UNICEF Pacific, whose work continues to shine a light on the realities facing children and families across our region. The Multidimensional Child Poverty Report is more than just data, it is a call to action, helping governments, organisations, and communities better understand where support is needed most and how we can work together to ensure no child is left behind.

At The Mustard Seed Projects, we are incredibly grateful to UNICEF for their ongoing guidance, partnership, and commitment to children in Tonga and across the Pacific. Your willingness to share knowledge, create spaces for collaboration, and support community-led initiatives helps organisations like ours grow and serve more effectively.

It was an honour to be part of such a significant event alongside government leaders, development partners, and community stakeholders. We leave inspired and even more committed to building a future where every child has the opportunity to thrive.

Malo aupito Martin Nabola and the UNICEF team for the remarkable work you do for Pacific children every day. 💙

UNICEF