Sharing smarts, inspiration and dignity
Ngarangi Toko has been no stranger to struggle street in the past but the challenges she’s faced help inspire her today to support others.
The solo mother of three teenagers has found study and employment at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa in Whakatāne a big part of helping meet those challenges and providing tautoko (support) to others.
For example, 41-year-old Ngarangi, who has lost nearly 20 kilograms this year, is currently doing a sports and fitness course as she has a passion for helping others with their physical conditioning, “especially women who come from toxic relationships and have body image and self-worth issues”.
Ngarangi, a proud Ngāi Tūhoe who grew up and lives in the small Bay of Plenty settlement of Waimana, knows personally about those issues.
She had worked alongside her dairy farmer partner before their relationship ended in 2010. Since then, she has raised her children as a solo mum.
After the break up, she later worked for a trust in Waimana running school holiday programmes but that ended.
So in 2013 she started a Certificate in Small Business course at the Wānanga with the aim of establishing a new charitable trust to run a holiday programme.
“I knew the business study would eventually come out as a business plan for a new trust.”
The Awhi Consulting Trust was subsequently established in Waimana and up to seven people were employed.
Ngarangi carried on with Wānanga studies that supported her involvement with the new trust, including computing, money management and te reo.
Unfortunately the trust had to suspend operations after key staff left in 2017.
Two years ago Ngarangi started doing casual administration work for the Wānanga in Whakatāne and is carrying on with that as she does her sports and fitness studies.
“I have really enjoyed the atmosphere at the Wānanga over the years, the knowledge and patience of the kaiako (teachers).
“I have been able to pick up skills that have helped me in my trust work and my work in fitness.”
Ngarangi pays tribute to her community and whānau who have helped her raise her tamariki.
"It takes a community to raise a child. I have been lucky and privileged enough to come from such tight knit whānau surroundings. It has been my whānau who have been on duty caring for my brood whilst I can study.”
Pūrongo whakahirahira
Featured stories
Finding a deeper sense of self through te ao Māori
Moving to Aotearoa from rural Australia as a teenager, Lily Warring found herself wanting to learn more about the culture and language of the place she now called home.
A journey shaped by whānau and a love of tamariki
Members of Tayla-Marie Takawe’s (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Maniapoto) whānau were among the first tauira to graduate from the Bachelor of Education (Primary Teaching) at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.
Reconnecting to te ao Māori through raranga
Haylee Roussel (Ngāti Rārua, Rangitāne, Ngāti Maniapoto) was searching for a way to reconnect with te ao Māori when she enrolled in the Certificate in Māori and Indigenous Art, Raranga, at the Waiwhero campus of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.
Creating the spark for business success
With plenty of experience as an electrician, Josh Verstraten was ready to branch out from employee to business owner, but he knew running a successful business would require a new set of skills.
From financial stress to financial freedom for Auckland whānau
For Augustine Kopa, studying the Certificate in Money Management at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa was about creating a better future for her whānau.
Two generations, one reo Māori journey
When Melody Francis (Ngāti Kahungunu) saw the positive impact that studying te reo Māori had on her mum, she decided to jump on the waka and begin the journey alongside her.
Tikanga study boosts whānau presence on marae
Patrick and Donna Tobin (Ngāti Kahu) are a brother-and-sister duo studying tikanga alongside their wider whānau at Te Paatu Marae in Kaitaia, all working towards the betterment of their whānau, iwi, and marae.
A teacher’s path to understanding tikanga
Originally from South Africa, Franda Zondagh has called Aotearoa home since 2003, but it was through studying He Papa Tikanga with Te Wānanga o Aotearoa that she began to feel a deeper connection to the place she lives and people she serves in her mahi.
Leading by example and learning te reo Māori
Liisa Wharepapa’s (Te Whānau ā Apanui) journey with te reo Māori wasn’t something that happened overnight, it was a goal waiting to be pursued until the moment she felt ready to take that step.
Returning home and reclaiming te reo Māori
After many years away building his professional career, Logan Bertram (Whakatōhea), returned home to Ōpōtiki with a clear goal of reconnecting with his whakapapa and creating a better future for his young whānau.
