02/03/2026
Kia Ora!
📣📣Get your thinking hats on, your laptops/pens and papers out because our Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship Application Portal is open!!
If you are still on the fence or have not made up your mind about whether a Manaaki Scholarship is for you, we thought we would let one of our recent Manaaki Alumni share her experience with you💯💯
Meet Larissa Haley Hannam, a Manaaki Scholar who just completed her degree 🎓 in Agribusiness and Food Marketing at Lincoln University in New Zealand 🇳🇿
Larissa’s journey is a testament to true resilience. After her studies were interrupted by the pandemic in 2020, she returned to Christchurch in 2023 - this time as a student and a full-time mum to her one-year-old daughter. For Larissa, New Zealand was an eye-opening chapter of growth. Navigating a new education system while ensuring her daughter had access to early learning was no small feat. She credits her success to the "overwhelming support" from international student advisors, the Christchurch community, and her "home-away-from-home" family. "You realize the world is a much bigger place, and you learn how to thrive", Larissa shares.
Now that she’s home, Larissa wants to use what she learned to help our local farmers. Her main goals are simple but powerful:
✅ Better Pay: Helping farmers get a fair price for their hard work.
✅ Smoother Shipping: Making it easier to move crops from the farm to the market, both here and overseas.
✅ Education: Sharing tips on marketing and record-keeping so local farm businesses can grow and succeed.
For those thinking about applying for a Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship, Larissa has some pearls of wisdom for you:
"Trust yourself and embrace the journey, even when it doesn’t go perfectly according to plan. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, take time to reflect, and give yourself grace -sometimes the path is not straight, but it can still lead to incredible growth. Make connections with your peers, your advisors, and your local community; they will become your safety net and your inspiration. Studying in New Zealand didn’t just give me a degree; it gave me the confidence and tools to make a meaningful impact in my community".
Our Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship portal is open until the 31st of March midday (NZT). So hurry on to www.nzscholarships.govt.nz for more information and to check your eligibility, before you can start working on your application. You never know, you might be part of our 2027 Manaaki Scholarships!
Pacific Connections - Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Auckland
