“I WAS fortunate to be the first daughter of a man who saw a spark of potential in me long before I understood it myself,” said Fiji Airways aircraft maintenance engineer and freelance make-up artist Charlene Sulueti Tafuna’i in her session on Day One of the Women’s Invigorating the Nation Convention 2025 (WIN 2025) at the Grand Pacific Hotel on Friday.
Speaking to delegates on the significance of ‘Mentorship for the Next Generation of Slay Queens’, Ms Tafuna’i said she is a testament of the possibility of women becoming who they aspire to be.
“Yes, I had more male mentors than female ones, but this is largely due to the career path I chose,” she said.
“Despite this I encourage you to do the same in your respective fields.
“Don’t be afraid to be loud about your passion.”
The former 2014 Miss World Fiji said the drive to compete for the title was backed by her father who suggested the idea after watching a commercial for the Miss World Fiji Pageant.
“He turned to me and said, ‘wow Charlene you should join that’. Those words stirred something within me, I took his advice and won the title that year,” she said.
She also spoke of her journey to becoming Fiji’s first female aircraft engineer at the Air Terminal Services (ATS).
“Two years after the pageant, I graduated as an aircraft maintenance engineer, yet my journey was only the beginning,” she said.
“I eventually made history at my father’s workplace where he dedicated much of his life (ATS).
“Some may argue he was biased, being my father, but mentorship is about recognising potential and providing unconditional support, regardless of relationship.”
Ms Tafuna’i also shared of her journey after being diagnosed with blood cancer, noting the support system she had received in her fight against cancer.
“My mom is a powerful woman of faith.
“She would say to me, believe you are healed and you will be.”
Ms Tafuna’i said in a society that often confined women to singular identities, her journey in both engineering and artistry embraced inclusivity.
“It’s a combination not commonly seen but exemplifies the notion that we can achieve and celebrate our diverse passion,” she said.
NOTE: This article was first published in the print edition of the Fiji Times dated MARCH 31, 2025.
