Tony Sihamau is of Niuean descent, and studied Social Work at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.
I could possibly finish my degree and not have debt – that reality for me is probably one of the coolest opportunities I could ever get.
When Tony decided to return to study, the thought of stepping back into a classroom felt overwhelming.
After being accepted into his Social Work programme, Tony’s whānau encouraged him to apply for Le Va’s Futures that Work scholarship.
Initially hesitant, Tony looked at the application and realised something important: “I think I can actually fill this out. I do a lot of work that wouldn’t be hard to articulate answers to what the questions were.”
That moment of recognition changed everything. When Tony received the scholarship, he couldn’t believe it. “Going back into the classroom was quite an overwhelming thing, and then to get this – all of a sudden education seemed quite fun because of these big moments.”
Tony’s motivation deepened when he became a father to his daughter Dallas. “Part of the change was looking at how do I better myself, what other opportunities are out there for me.” He found his place at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, where he thrived with Le Va’s support.
The financial impact has been transformative. “I could possibly finish my degree and not have debt – that reality for me is probably one of the coolest opportunities I could ever get,” Tony reflects. Having previously spent years repaying student loans, the prospect of graduating debt-free meant everything for his family’s future.
At a Le Va Futures that Work scholarship event, Tony sat in the room surrounded by his peers and thought, “Wow, there are 125 professionals, or soon-to-be professionals, who have been given the opportunity to thrive, flourish, because of this scholarship.”
His advice to potential applicants is straightforward: “You assume these things are quite hard or maybe people like yourself don’t get these things. If you’re doing the work… it just aligned my mahi with the questions that were on that application.”
Tony is grateful for the support he received from Le Va and Te Whatu Ora. For him, the Futures that Work scholarship goes beyond funding – it’s a belief in and commitment to Pacific futures.
Learn more about our Futures that Work Scholarship programme: Futures that Work Scholarship
