🌱 From Mother to Creator
Hi, I’m Jaki.
Before TUPU Pathways existed, I was simply a mum searching for answers.
When my daughter, Loleni, was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (Level 2) and Global Developmental Delay, our world changed. Like many parents, I found myself navigating appointments, reports, therapies, and an overwhelming amount of information while trying to understand how best to support my child.
As a qualified primary school teacher, I understood how children learn. As a mother, I experienced the reality of wanting resources that were practical, calming, meaningful, and easy to use in everyday life.
What I found was that many resources were either overwhelming, overly clinical, or disconnected from the needs of real families.
So I began creating my own.
What started as simple visual supports for Loleni soon became communication tools, learning resources, and emotional regulation supports that helped us connect, communicate, and celebrate small but meaningful milestones.
Those resources became the foundation of TUPU Pathways.
Because every child deserves the opportunity to grow, every family deserves support, and every small step forward deserves to be celebrated.
🌿 The Story Behind the TUPU Logo
The TUPU logo was designed to represent growth, connection, identity, and belonging.
The word TUPU means to grow, develop, emerge, or flourish. Across many Pacific cultures, growth is not viewed as an individual journey but as something that happens through family, community, culture, and connection.
The logo reflects this understanding.
At the centre is a growing form inspired by the strength of a tree. Its roots represent our ancestors, family, culture, and the foundations that support us. The trunk symbolises resilience, stability, and the journey of development. The branches reaching upward represent growth, learning, communication, and possibility.
The woven design honours the rich traditions found across Pacific cultures, where weaving is more than a craft. It is a way of connecting generations, preserving knowledge, and strengthening community.
Just as individual strands are woven together to create something strong and beautiful, children grow through the support of families, educators, therapists, and communities working together.
🌺 Growth Across the Pacific
Although Pacific cultures are diverse, many share common values:
• Family and collective support
• Respect for elders and knowledge
• Connection to land and identity
• Learning through relationships
• Growth through community
These values are at the heart of TUPU Pathways.
Our resources are designed not only to support communication and learning but also to honour the idea that every child grows in their own time, in their own way, and with the support of those around them.
🌱 What the Logo Means to Us
The TUPU logo reminds us that growth is not always measured by big milestones.
Growth can look like:
• A child’s first word
• Pointing to communicate a need
• Trying something new
• Learning to regulate emotions
• Building confidence
• Feeling understood
Every small step matters.
Every child deserves the opportunity to grow from strong roots and reach toward their full potential.
That is the meaning behind TUPU.
Rooted in culture. Growing through connection. Flourishing with support.