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Prime Minister’s Pacific Youth Awards 2022

By Johnson Raela

Nine Pacific young people were recognised as recipients of the 2022 Prime Minister’s Pacific Youth Awards (PMPYA) at Parliament on Monday evening.

The young people were rewarded for their outstanding achievements in several fields, including being advocates for their language and culture; for leadership and entrepreneurship; and for their efforts in the arts, education and the community.

The awards were presented by Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson and Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio.

To'e Lokeni, 17, from Porirua received the Business and Entrepreneurship award. Last year, To’e and his good friend Mannfred Sofara were the driving forces behind the website Fa’amalosi, designed to help people correctly pronounce Māori and Pasifika names.

To’e Lokeni winner of the Business and Entrepreneurship award

In receiving the award To’e acknowledged his good friend Mannfred who has been pivotal in his business journey.

“I mentioned Mannfred because he’s helped me a lot in business over the last two years and without his help and support I wouldn’t have been able to do all this, so he deserves as much credit for this as well,” he said.

To’e has just completed year 13 at Bishop Viard College and plans to study commerce at Victoria University of Wellington in 2023.

Mele 'Ofa-Ki-Vila Mafi, 21, was recipient of the International Scholar award.

In 2019 Mele was the Dux and Head Girl of Tonga High School before moving to New Zealand in 2020 to study towards a Bachelor of Engineering at The University of Auckland.

Mele 'Ofa-Ki-Vila Mafi, winner of the International Scholar award

“Coming here from a small school in Tonga to a huge university was hard, on top of that we had lockdowns, lots of Pacific students went back to their home islands, but I decided to stay here and grind hard for three years, it was tough but rewarding.”

Next week Mele will return home to Tonga for the first time since 2020, but she says her work in Aotearoa New Zealand is not done yet.

“This means a lot for my family and I, the monetary value of the award will allow me to further my study next year and I plan to do postgraduate study in engineering,” she said.

Mary Ieremia-Allan and Maia Mariner were co-recipients of the Community Star award.

Mary, 18, is a touch rugby and hockey representative and record holder in Triple Jump. She will use the ten thousand dollars towards study in 2023.

Mary Ieremia-Allan, co-recipient of the Community Star award

“I will study fashion next year and because I’m not a school leaver I cannot apply for many scholarships, so this means a lot in terms of supporting my studies financially,” she said.

Mary Ieremia-Allan with her sisters and friends

Sport runs in the family with Mary’s uncle being former Manu Samoa, All Black and rugby coach Namulauulu Alama Ieremia. In 2023 she will trial for the New Zealand Junior Blacksticks world cup squad and play for the Touch Blacks in the trans tasman series against Australia.

Samoan/Māori Maia, 17, is the founder of Lazy Sneakers, a sneaker bank project collecting reusable and new sneakers from the community and then distributing these sneakers for free to children and youth around New Zealand.

Maia has just completed her final year at Queen Margaret College in Wellington and will study at the University of Auckland in 2023. Check out Maia’s Young, Gifted and Brown profile below -

Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio acknowledged the contribution the award winners have made to their communities.

“All of the 2022 recipients have created a positive impact on their chosen field in recent years, and they are an integral part of the Pacific community.

“Fa’afetai tele lava for being role models to other Pacific young people and for setting a precedent of excellence for them to follow – the future of Pacific Aotearoa is very bright indeed,” said Aupito William Sio.

Since the launch of the Prime Minister's Pacific Youth Awards in 2010, they have played a vital role in recognising and celebrating the outstanding achievement and excellence of Pacific young people aged 17 to 24 and enhancing the journey for those among the top echelon of Pacific young achievers in Aotearoa.

You can rewatch the awards live stream here.