It was with great pleasure that we recently welcomed two interns joining us through the TupuToa Summer Internship Programme. 

Paige Columbus joins us as Projects Administrator with the Mana Ora team, and Maia Keepa, who we are excited to have back for a second internship, is working with the Wai Ora team. Paige and Maia will be with us until the end of February. If you haven’t heard about TupuToa, you can find out more here.

Maia Keepa

“Tēnā koutou katoa. Ko Maia Keepa tōku ingoa. He uri ahau nō Kāi Tahu, nō Ngāti Pikiao, nō Ngāti Mahuta, nō Ngāti Maniapoto anō hoki. He tauira ahau ki te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha. Ko ngā tohu e ako ana au ko te reo Māori, me  pūnaha ture taihara, mātauranga Māori hoki.  

“I am a student at the University of Canterbury, currently in my fourth and final year, studying towards a Bachelor of Criminal Justice and a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Māori and Indigenous studies, and minoring in Te Reo Māori. 

“I have the privilege of being welcomed back into te tari o Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu after completing a TupuToa internship with the organisation last summer. I have gained many insightful learnings from my previous experience here and I am very eager to continue growing my kete alongside kaimahi.

“I will be working within the commissioning space this summer, where I will assist with funding applications, admin, planning, and funding roadshows. Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu is a fountain of endless aroha and akiaki. A whakaruruhau for many people within Te Waipounamu, including myself.” 

Paige Columbus

“Ngā mihi o te wā nei! Ko Paige tōku ingoa, he uri ahau nō Waitaha, Kāti Māmoe me Kāi Tahu hoki. He tauira ahau ki te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha, ko te tohu e ako ana au ko Te Reo Māori me Mātauranga Māori hoki. 

“I am currently studying a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Canterbury, double majoring in te reo Māori and Māori and Indigenous studies. I came across this awesome opportunity with Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu after attending one of TupuToa’s kōrero sessions at UC. 

“It has been a privilege being able to have this experience in the Whānau Ora space and seeing the positive impacts. Working in the research, policy, and advocacy space has allowed me to use the tools and mātauranga I’ve gained at a tertiary level and apply it to my mahi here at Te Pūtahitanga o te Waipounamu.  

“I will assist the Mana Ora team as they work alongside all the workstreams here with peer-reviewing, reporting, and contributing to policy submissions.

“Tēnā koutou katoa.”