New Zealand Community Trust (NZCT) awarded a grant of $4,715 enabling the purchase of uniforms for the Tokelau Rugby League team. This support ensures that the team can be clearly identified at the Pasifika Aotearoa Rugby League tournament.

General Manager Ronni Periera adds -

The Tokelau Rugby League community values the experience and discipline of sport for their youth. It is an environment where the community can connect and contribute, actively sharing cultural values, language, and identities. Tokelau often hides in the shadows of their bigger cousins and brothers, Samoa, Cook Islands, Niue, New Zealand, and NZ Māori, resulting in youth looking to gain higher recognition with other nations ahead of their own. This funding allows us to proudly wear uniforms so we’re clearly identifiable as Tokelauan at the Pasifika Aotearoa Collective Rugby League Tournament to be held at the Navigation Homes Stadium, Pukekohe at the end of January.

Thanks to NZCT, we’re now able to outfit our players in a team uniform consisting of shorts, singlets, and hoodies. We hope to achieve ongoing benefits to the club in the form of an increased public profile, increased membership and opportunities, and wider community involvement.

We can now promote our uniqueness by proudly wearing uniforms that clearly identify us as Tokelauan and to provide the opportunity for our youth to be recognised as upcoming players with rising stars and to develop close relationships with Tier 2 nations. This project will benefit a team of young Tokelauan men, their whanau, and their community - not only locally, but also regionally and internationally.

The Tokelau Rugby League formed in 2019. It’s a national body run by volunteers to cater to the needs of our unique rugby league community. Previously, potential Tokelauan talent was left with no option other than to play for other nations. We aim to create meaningful representative pathways for our youth by providing systems they can trust to help them pursue and realise their dreams. We use rugby league as a platform to re-engage, reconnect, and reinvigorate our Tokelauan community.

NZCT’s GM Grants, Marketing and Communications adds “apart from the health benefits, NZCT invests in sport because of the fantastic way it brings communities together. This is a really great example of that. We’re grateful for our fundraising partnership with hospitality venues that made this grant possible.’’

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