Inspiring women to create their new horizons through education and research

Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari kē he toa takitini

My success should not be bestowed onto me alone, it was not individual success but the success of a collective

This whakatauki acknowledges team effort, that one’s success is due to the support and contribution of many. Just as it takes a village
to raise a child, it takes community/a team to enable an individual’s success.

We value hearing the voices of women connected with the New Horizons for Women Trust: Hine Kahukura and a key message we have taken on board is the importance of maintaining our connections through consistent communication.

In recent years we have diversified our Awards programme to ensure that we are responding to the needs of New Zealand women, by bringing on board new awards and also broadening the reach and types of awards that we are offering, which by doing so has strengthened our partnerships with a range of stakeholders.

During the month of May, Trust Manager, Ani Stace and Board member, Marie Schmidt, continued to build more meaningful relationships
with our key sponsors through online and face to face meetings. One of our main aims was to present thoughts on standardising the distribution
of Awards to better reflect specific demand, which can change from year to year.

We are very thankful for the commitment and flexibility of our sponsors who we met with, who all in some way voiced their passion to see women in study be supported and excel.

In this newsletter, we are profiling some of our sponsors who have contributed towards women’s dreams of attaining an educational qualification, made possible through the sponsorships they make available from year to year through the Trust.

If you would like to know more about sponsoring an award please contact Ani on enquiries@newhorizonsforwomen.org.nz.

- Marie Schmidt, Trustee for New Horizons for Women: Hine Kahukura

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Sponsor Spotlight: Deborah East

Deborah East sponsors the Young Mother's Education Award. She has been sponsoring this award annually since 2021. Deborah recently shared her story and her motivation for sponsoring an award with us:

'I skipped year 13 of school due to pregnancy, and went straight to university, so I understand the struggles of raising a child as a single mother while studying to create a good future for myself and my child. Since then, I went on to have a successful career, and have volunteered for a number of women’s groups, including 16 years for the Second Chance Trust which used to run Pre-loved Clothing Sales to raise money for scholarships through the New Horizons for Women Trust. After we closed down the trust, I decided to run garage sales myself to raise money for my own scholarship, to help one young single mother who is studying at tertiary level each year.

There is a saying in the Jewish Talmud “He who saves one person, it is as if he saved the whole world”. I can’t help the whole world, but I can help one person.

New Horizons for Women Trust: Hine Kahukura are genuinely touched by the effort that Deborah put in to providing an award.

Deborah East at the 2024 Auckland Award Ceremony

Awardee Profile: Xana Ngapera

Xana Ngapera received the 2023 Young Mother's Education Award sponsored by Deborah East.

Xana Ngapera never finished school and was a teen mum by time she was 18yrs old. After spending many years raising her seven children, she finally decided to think about what she was going to do with her life as her children got older. She struggled to find work after being a stay-at home mum for so long. After much contemplation, she realised ‘Wow! I am really great at giving birth’ She loved each pregnancy, and was fascinated with being hapu. She decided to go back to school and gain her level 2&3 NZQA credits so that she could apply to study midwifery. Going to university was a big step for Xana because this was foreign terrain to her - noone in her whanau has been to university before. Being accepted into university was a euphoric feeling but her study journey has, at times, been lonely. She even had thoughts of declining her acceptance letter. Xana says "I am so exhilarated and happy that I didn’t decline my acceptance into university, because it has been one heck of a ride and a life changing journey for me to date"

Upon completion of her degree at the end of 2024, Xana intends to work for a few years in her South Auckland community before relocating to a rural setting where access to haputanga health care is a barrier for wahine and their whanau.

"I want my children to witness me a single mother to [now] eight children can do anything, even study and go to university, pass and have a career. I want to show my children they can do anything they put their minds to if they put in the mahi and the sky’s the limit "

Xana Ngapera

Awardee for the Young Mother's Award sponsored by Deborah East, 2023

Sponsor Spotlight: 130 Years Suffrage Group

The 130 Years Suffrage Group (Kapiti Group) is a group of Kapiti women who raised $1,940 for a New Horizons for Women Trust Hine Kahukura award by hosting a lunch. 30 women attended the event, which was held on the 130 anniversary of NZ women being granted the vote. They shared fun, food, and a quiz and heard from Jo Innes (past NHWT Chair) about the impact of education awards on refugee recipients.

Marg Lees, who is a past New Horizons for Women: Hine Kahukura trustee and was the driving force behind this fundraiser, has been involved with helping Afghani refugees who came to NZ after being rescued by the Tampa. Her experiences with the Tampa group gave her a greater insight into the challenges refugees experienced, especially women refugees. For Marg, improving the lives of women and girls has been a driver throughout her work in education, organisations and on the trusts she's been involved with. She believes education is a massive force in encouraging women and girls to be more confident and capable and provide them with greater choices in life.

New Horizons for Women Trust: Hine Kahukura are truly grateful to Marg and the 130 Years Suffrage Group for their passion to support refugees with their education through their fundraising lunch. Their sponsorship will be put towards an Education Award for a Refugee Woman.

Durafshan Attayee with Marg Lees at a Zonta conference soon after she arrived in Christchurch.

Introducing Our New Automated Donation System - Raisely!

We are thrilled to share some exciting news with you! To make supporting our mission even easier, we have implemented a new automated donation system, Raisely. This state-of-the-art platform streamlines the donation process, making it simple and efficient for you to contribute to our cause.

Our Trust relies on the generosity of sponsors and donors like you to fund the essential operational costs that keep us running smoothly. Your contributions are vital in helping us promote our awards program to women across the country and provide support throughout the application process.

By using Raisely, you can now set up one-time or recurring donations with just a few clicks. This new system ensures that your contributions are processed securely and quickly, allowing us to focus more on what we do best – empowering wahine and fostering their achievements.

We deeply appreciate your unwavering belief in our mission and your commitment to making a positive impact in the lives of women. Your support is instrumental in breaking barriers and paving the way for a brighter future for all.

Click here to check it out.

2024 AWARDS OPENING SOON

Applications will be open between 1 August and 23 August for our

Education Awards

Research Awards

Personal Growth Awards

Our awards celebrate women who have faced and overcome challenges, demonstrating perseverance, dedication, and strength in their educational, training, or self-development journeys. These women play a crucial role in enabling their whānau and communities to thrive.

Our Education Awards benefit women who are continuing or coming back to a tertiary level qualification or trade training, and who may not have had the most straightforward path to education.

Our Research Awards help cover the costs of undertaking impactful research projects in 2025. We invite applications from women, or groups of women, who are conducting research that benefits women and girls in New Zealand.

The Personal Growth Awards offer recipients the chance to build confidence and gain leadership experience at Outward Bound in Anakiwa, located in the beautiful Marlborough Sounds.

To find out more about our awards and their eligibility criteria, click the links above.

Important Dates

The New Horizons for Women: Hine Kahukura Awards 2024 will be open for application between 1 August & 23 August 2024. Application forms will be available online only during this period.

Information about the awards and their eligibility criteria is now available on our website.

For information or enquiries, please contact Amanda.

Email: awards@newhorizonsforwomen.org.nz