Photo caption: Funaki Lousiale and Sam Pickering (First Foundation scholars), front – flanked from left by scholarship mentor Dr Rachel Inder, Anna McElhinney and Caitlin Brodbeck, of Hortus, Diana Hubbard, of the Dick and Diana Hubbard Foundation, and acting principal Emily Stenhouse.
Photo credit: Ian Allen (Marlborough Express)
Here at Manu Ora we are strongly committed to making a difference – for our whānau (patients) kaimahi (team) and our hapori (community). One way we ‘walk the talk’ about making a difference is through our work with our taiohi (young people), and especially those who want to work in hauora (health and wellbeing) in the future.
Dr Rachel is incredibly proud to be working with Funaki Lousiale as her First Foundation scholarship mentor!
These scholarships support students to go to university – and provide mentoring and work experience as well as financial assistance.
First Foundation was founded in 1998 to help remove barriers for talented students in difficult situations. It helped young New Zealanders navigate the journey from school through higher education and into a meaningful career.
Funaki recently discovered she’d been awarded a First Foundation scholarship, which will support her dreams to study health at Otago University – after seeing how the right care had helped her little sister when she had a brain tumour at the age of 2. “That drives me to do what I am doing,” she says.
Funaki explained that this support would be “a big help for her family”. Funaki is one of six siblings, and explained that her dad worked during the day and her mum during the night. Her eldest sibling was at university and they both needed to work to support them.
Dr Rachel is excited to be supporting Funaki through mentoring in her coming university years. As the First Foundation commented, “It’s clear that…Funaki will make the most of any opportunities given and [she is] dedicated to making the world a better place.”
