“He kākano ahau, i ruia mai i Rangiātea
– I am a seed born of Greatness”.
The annual GHA scholarships are awarded to exceptional recipients who demonstrate a commitment to advancing the interests of iwi and Māori in their chosen careers. Financial support through the scholarship is provided to advance their tertiary studies.
Five successful applicants have been awarded scholarships to the value of $3,000 each for study in 2024.
The five recipients are:
- Arahia Koia
- Caleb Te Whare
- Megan Latu
- Miles Tapsell and
- Taawera Hana Samuels – Kaio
A brief bio supplied by each of the recipients is provided below:
Arahia Koia
In 2023 Arahia capped off her secondary schooling as Te Kura o Te Koutu’s Head Girl by achieving her NCEA Level 3 (achieved with excellence). Fluent in Te Reo Māori, she was also a 2023 recipient of the Rotorua Young Achiever’s award. Many whanau are struggling to make ends meet. Some are living in their cars. Arahia is determined to see these whanau released from the grip of economic hardship. She believes the key to achieving this is to build a thriving Māori economy which is why she has decided to pursue batchelors degrees in commerce and law through the Auckland University’s five-year BCom / LLB conjoint programme. Arahia’s intentions post-graduation is to pursue a career as a business consultant specialising in commercial law. She aims to apply her tertiary training and leadership ability to influence transformational change to accelerate Māori corporate success for the betterment of all New Zealanders.
Caleb Te Whare
I te taha o tōku papa
Ko Whakapoungakau te pae maunga, ko Pukepoto te tihi, ko Waingaehe te awa, ko Te Arawa te waka
Ko Ngati Te Roro-o-te-Rangi-te hapu, ko Uenukukopako te tangata, ko Tutanekai rāua ko Hinemoa te Tupuna whare
Ko Owhata te marae
I te taha o tōku mama
Ko Aoraki te maunga, ko Kati Huirapa te hapu, ko Puketeraki te Marae
Ko Caleb Te Whare tōku ingoa
I’m in my second year of my Bachelor of Accounting Degree through Toi Ohomai. My goal is to graduate and become a chartered accountant, hopefully going on to work for a Māori organization. I want to use my skills and knowledge to ultimately benefit my family, hapu, and iwi.
Megan Latu
My name is Mega Latu and I am in my second year of studies at the University of Otago, studying an Bachelor of Commerce, Majoring in Accounting. I am a proud Māori and of Pacific descent, from Ngapuhi and Tainui, Ngāti Maniapoto. My journey in the field of business has been inspired by a deep-rooted commitment to the kaupapa-Māori values and a vision to enhance Māori representation in the accounting profession. I have enjoyed studying accounting and seek to further my careet as a Chartered Accountant, following the completion of studies. It is a privilege to represent my culture in my professional and academic journey, and hope to influence prospective business Māori students to pursue accounting.
Miles Tapsell
Ko Te Arawa te waka
Ko Ngati Whakaue me Ngati Pikiao nga iwi
Ko Te Papaiouru te marae
Ko Tamatekapua te tangata
Ko Miles Te Pokiha Pekamu Te Tupara Tapsell ahau
As Co-President of Te Mana Pakihi (The Māori Commerce Students’ Association) and Māori Lead of the Investment Club at the University of Auckland, this year is about my commitment to increasing Māori engagement in the corporate sectors. In terms of my own career goals, I am aiming for a career in Investment Banking – a sector which is predominantly non-Māori but has had some Māori pioneers pave a way for aspiring rangatahi. Support systems such as this scholarship ensure that Māori tauira such as myself are equipped with the necessary resources to excel in increasingly competitive environments – a huge thank you to Glenn and the team at GHA for their support.
Taawera Hana – Samuels Kaio
I am currently in my second year studying for a Bachelor’s in Business, at Auckland University of Technology. I am majoring in International Business with a minor in Māori Indigenous Business and Information Systems. Thanks to GHA, I am honoured to be one of five recipients for the 2024 Business Scholarship.
I have thoroughly enjoyed delving back into the world of education with the support of first-hand experience I had garnered over the years. Upon graduation I hope to embark on my journey as a business professional within the Māori Health and Fisheries sector. From this I intend on progressing to become a business consultant, specifically working alongside and for other Māori owned businesses. My passion is with people, and I have made a commitment to making a meaningful contribution towards the prosperity and well-being of our Māori people.