Four Samoan students who excel in their studies will receive scholarships this year.
The scholarships worth more than $12,000 tala have been provided by Australian-based Samoan businesswoman, Ivona Tuaimau-Latu.
Tuaimau-Latu runs a company called PELE Resolutions Facilitators that develops and facilitates mental health recovery projects.
“I was born and raised in Samoa until I was 16, and fortunately I was able to move to New Zealand and then later to Australia. Every time I go to Samoa its heart wrenching for me to see these poor kids selling products late into the night,” Tuaimau-Latu said.
“I see the real struggle our young people go through to try and get an education and here we are in Australia with so much opportunity but lacking in motivation,” she added.
“So it’s my way of giving back to my roots and to where I learnt the ABC of everything. To give a young person the opportunity to make something of their future,” she added.
Tuaimau=Latu will work with school teacher and small business owner Junior Niupulusu.
“The four scholarships are a blessing for our small college, because it’s not every day we get this kind of assistance. The usual is some students don’t reach university level at all after college due to financial constraints,” said Niupulusu.
“No matter how well a student performs when money is the problem they never get that opportunity to go to university,” he added.
One college in Samoa will be the recipient of four scholarships sponsored by PELE Resolution Facilitators in partnership with Traders Mecca Samoa.
The four scholarships are:
- $6,000 tala for the top student of year 13 for 2016 The P&P Tuaimau Family Scholarship.
- $2,000 tala for the top Arts student
- $2,000 tala for the top commerce student provided by PELE and Traders Mecca Samoa
- $2,000 tala for top vocational student of the graduating class of 2016
A consolation prize for the most improved student of $100 tala and a trophy is also included for each level.
Photo file: PELE Resolution Facilitators in Australia