50-years after the death of the late Prime Minister Norman Kirk (6 January 1923 - 31 August 1974), the Norman Kirk Memorial Trust (NKMT) continues to carry forward his legacy by providing second-chance opportunities and education scholarships to individuals in New Zealand, Fiji, and Samoa.

The NKMT was established in 1976 to commemorate the life of Norman Kirk with the priority to support people who can benefit from further education, study or training, but need financial help.

Since its inception, the NKMT has awarded hundreds of grants and scholarships to support young people in New Zealand and the Pacific to pursue education and training to enhance their lives and communities.

Chairperson Moera Tuilaepa-Taylor, highlights the NKMT is dedicated to upholding the legacy and values of the former Prime Minister who was born in Waimate, South Canterbury.

“The late Norman Kirk is fondly remembered as a leader who was committed to the welfare of New Zealand and the South Pacific, ensuring everyone had a chance for a better life. Throughout his life, Norman Kirk strove to ensure that people were given the opportunity to take the first steps towards self-improvement and a better way of living.”

“Since its inception, the Norman Kirk Memorial Trust has sought to assist the welfare and progress of people in New Zealand and the South Pacific through education and training. It has been particularly interested in helping people who have the ability and interest to succeed but lack the financial resources they need to advance. Our grants and scholarships have helped boost hundreds of people to achieve their aims,” she says.

The NKMT collaborates with schools, universities and training centres in New Zealand and the Pacific to provide scholarships and grants to help people gain 'second chance' education or training, or people wanting a qualification or training that will help them to help their community.

“The Norman Kirk Memorial Scholarship Trust grants and scholarships have a significant impact on recipients. Many of them face financial difficulties or have overcome setbacks in their lives and are determined to make the best of a second-chance to advance themselves, their families and communities,” says Tuilaepa-Taylor.

“We’re extremely grateful to our partner schools, universities and training institutions in Aotearoa, Fiji and Samoa for their efforts to help administer these scholarships to deserving students on behalf of The Norman Kirk Memorial Trust. We are committed to ensuring that these partner relationships remain in place for another 50-years to help uplift the socio-economic and wellbeing aspirations of future generations.”

Scholarship recipients say thank you

Tana Tanoi, a Game Designer at Dinosaur Polo Club, an independent video game studio in Wellington, was a Norman Kirk Memorial Trust Scholarship recipient in 2016. At the time, he was studying Software Engineering at the Victoria University of Wellington. Tanoi expresses he is grateful for the generous support from the NKMT, which helped him complete his degree.

“Having the Norman Kirk Memorial Trust scholarship provided me with the belief and monetary support to give me a much-needed push to complete my university studies. An engineering degree majoring in software engineering is not an easy degree to complete. I had to do a lot of work to get through as well as keep a job while studying during that time,” he says.

“I can’t give enough thanks to the Norman Kirk Memorial Trust for their support. I’m committed to playing my part to reach out to other Pacific young people and communities to let them know the positive benefits of engineering as a career for people as well as applying for the Norman Kirk Memorial Trust Scholarship,” says Tanoi, a current board member of the NKMT.

Seinivivi Lousiale, a second-year law (LLB) and arts (BA, criminology, and political science) student at Victoria University of Wellington, also appreciates the scholarship’s assistance in alleviating financial burdens.

“The Norman Kirk Memorial Trust Scholarship has given me a boost to help lessen the financial burden on me as well as my parents. I aspire to be a lawyer to help my family, friends and community, navigate policies and law that impact their everyday lives. From the bottom of my heart, thank you to the Norman Kirk Memorial Trust for helping to encourage and support me through university,” says Lousiale.

Partner schools, universities and training institutions:

New Zealand

Norman Kirk Scholarship for Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT), $10,500* Norman Kirk Scholarship for Waimate High School $10,500*

Victoria University of Wellington (VUW) $6,000*

Maori Education Trust $14,000*

South Pacific

Pacific Pathology Training Centre $10,000*

St Mary’s Primary School, Savalalo, Apia, $2,000*

St Mary’s College, Vaimoso, Samoa $3,000*

Missionary Sisters of the Society of Mary, Fiji $2,000*

National University of Samoa (NUS), $6,000*

*Allocation of grants for the year 2022/23 as stated in the Norman Kirk Memorial Trust Annual Report (1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023).

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