PFL Partner Series: Vinepa Trust

Updates / Community , 22 Dec 22

Vinepa Trust is a Pacific organisation based in the capital city, Wellington. The organisation was named after the current Director’s - Gabrielle-Sisifo Makisi QSM - great, great grandmother, Vinepa Toalepai Aiono Petaia. Vinepa Trust has been a charitable trust for fourteen years and continues to expand and provide positive outcomes. The trust provides culture, language and health programmes, with Makisi’s education sessions as the focal point.

The trust is well known for their study hubs, which first launched in 1988 to assist the first wave of Pasifika migrants with their general education; every aspect of the study hub was self-funded and volunteer centred.

“Our study hubs continue to operate and since 1988 has always been to provide extra educational support for our Pasifika people and youth through a pacific lens,” says Makisi.

The study sessions are supported with funding by Pasifika Futures (PFL) and are largely focused on Pacific students thriving in New Zealand’s educational system. Makisi expressed that for Vinepa Trust, education is their number one priority as it is a huge contributor to the future successes of future Pasifika generations.

“Our number one focus is education. I have dreams of growth such as mentors being accessible for the long haul and huge transitions of further development educationally, but we are dependent on funding to see that growth continue.”

The future of Vinepa Trust is bright and the time and work Makisi and her family allocate to the hub are immeasurable. Makisi believes there is still considerable work to be done to ensure a greater and more prosperous future and she has high hopes for the trust's vision for their community.

“My family and I plan to continue to strengthen from where we are now. As Pasifika people we wear so many hats; we’re the parent, the teacher, the translator, the past, the present and the future and it is always our absolute commitment as Pasifika people to provide our community with what we can and what they need.

Vinepa Trust provides safety and personal development and growth for our kids and our study sessions are a huge part of that.”

Makisi is an active member of the community and a role model for education and ambition, having received a national Queen's Service Medallion earlier this year for her contributions to Pacific communities and education. She and her family continue to work tirelessly to preserve and serve the Vinepa Charitable Trust’s vision and look forward to building a generation of future Pasifika leaders.

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