Pu Ora Matatini Maori Workforce Initiative

Pu Ora Matatini Maori Workforce Initiative was established in 2007 to recruit and train 100 Maori Nurses.

A focus of this initiative was to Awhi (embrace) and Tautoko (support) Maori Nursing Students during their 3-4 years of study. Under this initiative students are financially and culturally supported.

This is the story of two Maori Tauira (students) journey through the Pu Ora Matatini Programme to their Pinning Ceremony (Comprehensive Registered Nurses).

Aroha is of Nga Puhi/Ngati Tuwharetoa and Fijian decent and Chantal is of Nga Puhi/Ngati Raukawa and European decent. In 2008 both woman entered the Pu Ora Matatini Programme with the full support of their Whanau.

Both women through their journey contributed to the POM programme by participating in Powhiri to formally welcome new or prospective members onto the programme and became spokespersons and role models to the other tauira. Over the years with a lot of hardwork and effort Aroha and Chantal achieved fantastic grades with an “A or B” average which as they identified would have been impossible to complete without the support of POM.

• Aroha's story
• Chantal's story