(Picture caption: Visit the MPP website for more information about the Puawānanga Pacific Aotearoa Wāhine Fund.)
Nurturing and inspiring Pacific wāhine and girls to take part in sports and active recreation across Aotearoa is the essence of a new fund now open.
The Puawānanga Pacific Aotearoa Wāhine Fund is open to any not-for-profit Pacific community organisations, groups and clubs that support Pacific wāhine in their overall well-being, sports participation and active recreation.
The Ministry for Pacific Peoples (MPP), in partnership with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), launched the fund today as part of the government’s leverage and legacy programme for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™.
It is targeted to help Pacific wāhine overcome barriers that limit their ability to take part in recreation and sports.
Deputy Secretary for Regional Partnerships John Tuamoheloa, whose team collaborated with MBIE to secure the fund on behalf of MPP, encourages groups, clubs and organisations to apply now.
“The fund will enhance the overall well-being of Pacific wāhine across the country and contributes to MPP’s Lalanga Fou vision of creating a thriving, resilient and prosperous Pacific Aotearoa,” John says.
“During MPP’s Pacific Aotearoa Lalanga Fou engagements, our communities told us we must act and lift Pacific well-being and aspirations across many areas including health and sports pathways.
“Since that engagement series, MPP launched the All-of-Government Pacific Well-being Strategy in September last year, to set out how it will strengthen strategic leadership, advice, policies and programmes across government.
“This fund aligns with the intentions of the strategy, and comes at an appropriate time with the launch of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ in Auckland last week.
“I know many sports clubs, groups and organisations across Aotearoa deliver wāhine development programmes in active recreation, and they are making great strides in their mahi, so I encourage all to apply now.”
There are two components to the Puawānanga Pacific Aotearoa Wāhine Fund.
The first component has a pool of $100,000 to disseminate and is open to community, sports, church groups and organisations that support wāhine of any age to take part in activities that uplift their overall well-being, sports participation or active recreation.
Groups can apply for up to $5,000 for this component of the fund.
The second component contains a $50,000 pool and will award grants up to $10,000 for individual Pacific women who are seeking support to advance their aspirations in their chosen active recreation and sports field or career pathway.
Applications close on Monday, August 7, 2023 at 5pm.
Visit the MPP website for more information about the Puawānanga fund.
Fund acknowledgements
This project has been made possible thanks to funding from MBIE as part of its work to leverage the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ and to create a lasting legacy for Aotearoa New Zealand and our communities.
Aotearoa is co-hosting the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ with Australia from July 20 to August 20, 2023.