allen karena
Allen was awarded the 2018 Trustpower Youth Community Spirit Award for his coordination of the Mitimiti pyura clearing event. Papa Taiao Earthcare introduced Allen to the issue of pyura smothering the kutai beds at Mitimiti. Allen organised a competition for the Mitimiti community to help him clear the invasive marine pest pyura (titi kuri) from the reefs. Now the kutai have returned to the reef and the local Marae will again have kutai on the menu.
Allen has plans to continue harvesting pyura from the reefs on the west coast as an ingredient in the Hokianga Sustainable Fertiliser. He will work for Papa Taiao as a tuakana for other taiohi at his kura.
rawiri manuera
Rawiri was part of the very successful Tasty Tio enterprise. Kaitiakitanga and tikanga Māori lay at the center of Rawiri’s approach.
Rawiri has a passion for the Moana and supporting his community. His work with Moana New Zealand
Brooklyn-Kasey Joseph
Environmental restoration is a whanau affair for Brooklyn. has won the Porirua Youth Award for Environmental and Community Action through her enterprise and leadership with one of the Papa Taiao Earthcare Aotea College groups.
She also won a Making it Happen grant from the Porirua District Council, a scholarship to attend Festival for the Future. She also attended the Society for Conservation Biology conference held at Victoria University.
Brooklyn is attending Victoria University and studying Science, Sustainability and Enterprise related courses.
rebecca donovan
Rebecca recently sent Papa Taiao a letter that describes the value of the Moana restoration course.
”I just wanted to say thank you all so much for bringing the Young Enterprise Scheme to us at Kaitaia college. I’m now based in Hamilton and and I am starting a new business and taking over an existing business here.
”I’ve been meeting with bank managers and clients for the past few weeks as I am getting it off the ground and I’ve come to realise how valuable the support from you guys has been.
”Today I was complimented by the bank managers who said my business plan and finances was one of the best they had ever seen from someone starting out in business. They said my plan was the best they had seen in a long long time from a young person. I’m only saying this as if it wasn’t for you I wouldn’t be here!
”I still find it terrifying as the numbers we are working with are well into 7 figures but I know there is no way I would of been able to do it without the course and young enterprise scheme and I am so so lucky. Thank you so much!”