Erna Takazawa

"My parents took her to our national hospital and, at the time, the hospital did not have the resources or the capacity to carry out a comprehensive eye exam," the now 30-year-old, half-Japanese, half-Samoan woman said.

From the hospital, the Takazawa family were referred to an American man who was providing unlicensed optometry services to the local community and who charged 700 West Samoan tala ($265) for a simple pair of glasses.

"At the time, the minimum wage was about 1.60 (tala)," Takazawa said.

She will join the University of Auckland Distinguished Alumni at the ‘Bright Lights’ panel discussion event on Thursday evening and the awards dinner on Friday (10 March).

“I feel very honoured to be selected as Young Alumna of the Year,” says Erna. “It came as an unexpected surprise and I am very grateful that I was chosen.”

When Erna graduated from the University of Auckland in 2012 with a Bachelor in Optometry, she returned to Samoa as the only optometrist and worked with a team of eye nurses looking after the country's eye problems.