Moerewa youth project wins UNICEF award

The He Iwi Kotahi Tatou Trust at Moerewa has captured a national award for a youth development project designed to inspire and encourage Far North young people to follow their dreams and aspirations.


The Te Puna Oranga Award sponsored by UNICEF was presented at the Local Authority Community Development Conference at Hamilton at the weekend for the trust’s 2006 youth project “Be Who You’re Born To Be.”


The project involved a roadshow which attracted an audience of over 4000 at schools and community performances across the district. “Be Who You’re Born To Be” was designed to encourage young people to believe in themselves, to stand up and be counted and to support others seeking to bring their aspirations to fruition.


The trust initiative was developed with the assistance of the Far North District Council, Ministry of Youth Development and community organisations. The innovative live show drew on the talents of students from local high schools and utilised the performing arts including drama, dance, painting and music to take the message into the community.


UNICEF NZ Advocacy Manager David Kenkel described the project as an “inspiring and innovative approach to enhance esteem and contribute to a better world through a programme driven by youthful energy and commitment.” The programme had been driven with “heart and soul,” he said.


The council formally passed on the award to the He Iwi Kotahi Tatou Trust at Kaikohe today.


Trust representative Sarah-Kay Heta-Leituvae said the project had encouraged young people to be true to themselves and conveyed the message that failure was never an option and there was always a choice.



Print media caption: (left to right) Sarah-Kay Heta-Leituvae (trust representative), Awe Koni, (trust representative) Mayor Yvonne Sharp, and Anau Payne (trust representative) with the UNICEF award.