Foundation offers a helping hand

Forty-seven Whitireia students were awarded scholarships by the Whitireia Foundation last month.

A total of $115,000 worth of scholarships from 23 sponsors were awarded at the ceremony on March 23.

For the Jujnovich family, being a first-time sponsor was a huge deal.

Their sponsorship is in the name of Kaylene Te Roha Kahurangi Tareha-O’Reilly, their mother, partner and daughter-inlaw, who died two years ago.

‘‘It is awesome my mum’s name is against the scholarship,’’ said Keanu O’Reilly.

The family sponsorship is about ‘‘giving back because the paramedics and whole medical profession did a great job’’, said father-in-law and Whitireia employee Laurence Jujnovich.

For Arama Wineera, studying for a bachelor of applied arts (toi poutama), getting a scholarship from Fuji Xerox NZ meant she did not have to spend time thinking about fees and their impact on her life after she finished studying.

Scholarship students are encouraged to have an ongoing relationship with their sponsor.

Wineera thanked Fuji Xerox by gifting a special carving to the company.

Ngawhera Rangitaawa’s mother, Tess Swanson, said her son was ‘‘hugely grateful’’ to be sponsored by Red Wolf Security Limited for his bachelor of information technology.

Kelvin Irvine chairs the foundation, which is made up of

Members of the Jujnovich family gather to present their first scholarship in memory of their mother, partner and daughter-in-law. From left, Keanu O’Reilly, Laurence and Te Roera Jujnovich, Whitireia Foundation chairman Kelvin Irvine, Richard and...