The Dunedin Kiribati community gathered to welcome her on Friday for two days of workshops on employment opportunities.
The visit was a part of a week-long tour where Ms Teakai travelled the length of New Zealand making connections with employers to give her people a better chance at finding work.
She said her visit to Dunedin was "a really successful one".
"There are people that really needed a better and a brighter future.
"We’ve got trained and skilled people out there waiting — nearly 10,000 people — for jobs, and that’s what I really want to help with."
Since her appointment, Ms Teakai has helped thousands of Kiribati people find work.
"It gives me great hope.
"We’re finding a lot of potential employers that are very keen to employ our people."
She was the only female MP among 14 others in Kiribati.
Since 1988, it had been a goal of hers to assist her people in finding employment to ultimately make a better future for her children and grandchildren.
"Some people ... were living in a hut, and now they’re living in brick houses.
"I feel good when I can give someone an opportunity."
When Ms Teakai first joined the ministry, there were 211 seasonal Kiribati workers in New Zealand — today there are about 3000.
She hoped to increase that number by 2000 in the next year.
"There are two objectives of that — one to save the government’s money where we pay $32 million to unemployment benefit.
"We’ve already saved $1.8 million of that money.
"If we get that 5000 we will save $3 million by the end of this year."
The welcoming was attended by mana whenua, Dunedin and Taieri MPs Ingrid Leary and Rachel Brooking as well as other various business managers and contractors.
Local Kiribati community leader Maria Lucas reached out to Cr Marie Laufiso to help organise the visit and find others to deliver workshops.
Mrs Lucas was grateful for the support they received from the wider community.
"Everyone was really keen to help out.
"I was really positive this wouldn’t be something that nothing ever comes out of.
"People were engaging a lot — it went really well."
