PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 2024

One thousand
lives transformed

It’s official! First Foundation has now awarded more than 1,000 scholarships! This milestone represents so much positive change for individuals, whānau, communities and Aotearoa.

Watch Fekita Vea, our 1,000th scholar’s emotional response to finding out she had been awarded a First Foundation scholarship.

Meet Fekita

Our 1,000th scholar was Fekita Vea, Head Girl of Taita College.  Fekita’s aspiration of going to university and studying law has become a reality, thanks to visionary supporters like you.

Check out the moment that she received ‘The Call’.

Significant milestone

It took us 25 years to reach this milestone and in that time our model has been relentlessly tested and continuously proven. It works. Now, we’re ready to reach our next 1,000 more quickly, with the support of the special First Foundation community.

Our work is only possible because of those who back our programme as mentors, partners and philanthropists. We’re so grateful for these generous and visionary people.

Our programme is about much more than helping individual students. Not only do First Foundation scholars gain the freedom to pursue their dreams, but they also become role models where higher education is not the norm.

We’ve refined our combination of dedicated mentoring and pastoral care, introduction to networks and the world of work and financial assistance. We’ve also learned how to identify those with the grit and talent to reach their potential. This readies us for a step change as we look ahead.

We don’t want to wait til 2050 to repeat this level of impact.

The impact of our scholarships is profound, generational change. When given the opportunity to pursue higher education, young people lift their earning power and the circumstances of those around them. They prioritise education for their own children, and the cycle continues.

“We’re setting our sights on doing more good, more quickly. We can’t do it alone. Can you help?”

Supporting a First Foundation scholar is your chance to change the life of a young person and their family – present and future. Playing a role in this is a privilege that we’d love to share with you. To find out more about becoming a First Foundation donor, please contact Milly Whitefoot or click here to donate now.