Maria Ngawati has always been dedicated to increasing opportunities within her community in several ways. She believes you can achieve change by using many tools and cross-sector relationships. Her mahi currently focuses on supporting access to education, research, and evaluation, what Indigenous economies mean, and how they can be a lever for change.
She has previously trained as a physiotherapist and has worked in tertiary education and health for 20 years, during which she witnessed issues within both systems. She founded Akomaiway Ltd, which helps students of any age and stage access information about educational pathways. This came about due to her frustration with a lack of understanding. Maria is a mother of five, a PhD candidate studying indigenous advancement, and a small business owner.
Maria is a Founding Member at Indigishare, which uses a tikanga approach to help new and existing Māori experts access small loans. Indigishare was created in response to supporting communities through COVID-19 and aims to revitalise the indigenous economy through koha.
She is also the Chief Executive and Founder of AkoMaiWay, a course and qualification finder based on someone's choice of life, job, or career path. The aim is to help everyone navigate Aotearoa's education system, regardless of where they are starting.
Links:
Online mental health support for all
Paakiwaha Interview | Maria Ngawati
Toitū Te Waiora, the Workforce Development Council – Profile
