“Our tamariki mokopuna are our future and it’s important that we tautoko projects that encourage creativity, innovation and business smarts. That’s what will help boost the Māori economy and in turn, lead to better lives for Māori whānau,” says Eruera Reedy Te Puni Kōkiri Acting Deputy Secretary.

The 2012 winner of the Te Puni Kōkiri Award for Excellence in Māori Business is Manurewa High School’s Caring & Co.

Caring & Co teamed-up with charity partner Life Education Trust and developed a special release extra virgin olive oil sourced from Waiheke Island. Manurewa High School students Lar Sua, Kulgan Flynn, Ryan King, Kayla Picknell, and Guang Liu Chu made up the winning team.

Te Puni Kōkiri Māori Business Facilitation Service’s Jim Wilson says Caring & Co’s company vision to educate the children of South Auckland about leading a healthier lifestyle via their ‘Unique Drizzle’ olive oil product “is what made their product a real stand-out.”

“Caring & Co’s report told a story of a company with a personal investment in their community,” Jim says. “The company donated some of their profit to a neighbouring primary school, helping the school to put more children through the Life Education Trust’s program.”

Newmarket Primary School won the Te Reo and Tikanga Māori Award sponsored by Te Puni Kōkiri at the sixth The Outlook for Someday sustainability film challenge for young New Zealanders.

Newmarket Primary’s entry “Greatness is a Lofty Maunga” was set in and around the extinct volcanoes in their local area including Maungawhau (Mt Eden). These tamariki shared a story about looking after Papatūānuku – with some shaky consequences when the message isn’t heeded. Māori Affairs Minister Dr Pita Sharples says: “Māori have a long-standing history of kaitiakitanga o te taiao – caring for the environment – and it’s great to be a part of this kaupapa that encourages tamariki and rangatahi to consider the critical issue of sustainability today.”

The 20 winning films are by film-makers aged 6 to 20. They range from an animated fable and a big picture post-apocalyptic drama, to stories of young people looking after their own backyards – protecting blue ducks, shopping consciously and bike pooling.

Of the 20 winning films there were four special awards including the Te Reo and Tikanga Māori Award, Sustainable Future Award, Film-making Achievement Award and the Youth Participation Award.