17 students get SSAB NZ Prime Minister’s Junior Fellow Awards

By Talaia Mika

APIA, SAMOA – 13 JANUARY 2022: Close to 20 local students will be returning to school with a bang this year as recipients of the SSAB NZ Prime Minister’s Junior Fellow Awards.

The scholarship awards include $500 cash and were handed out at the Samoa Stationary and Books today to 14 students from various colleges and Primary Schools, two top students from the National University of Samoa and the first recipient who is currently studying in Australia.

This award started in 2015 when SSAB’s General Manager, Tofilau Fiti Leung Wai was chosen to be the recipient of this award in New Zealand.

Three awards were presented to the top NUS student 2021, Czarina Rumar Elisaia, Elrod Liliolelagi Leung Wai who topped in Computing for NUS Foundation 2021, and Joyce Olioli Luamanuvae, the successful SSAB scholar who is now studying in Australia.

SSAB’s General Manager, Tofilau Fiti Leung Wai presenting one of the awards

One of the special awards was presented to a sixteen year old from the Samoa Victim Support, Taunapo Mohr who is studying at the School of Hope.

This award was initiated and funded by a victim of domestic violence, the late Sa’u Fiapaipai Justina Sa’u Lam who was the Chief Executive Officer of the Unit Trust of Samoa and a best friend of SSAB’s General Manager.

In memory of their friendship, Tofilau continued this award for greater purposes to assist the children who are victims of domestic violence raised at the Samoa Victim Support House of Hope.

Despite going through so many obstacles in her life, Ms. Mohr’s acknowledged the award that will continue to change her life journey for the better.

One of the awardees, Junior Fellow Taunapo Mohr of the SVSG School of Hope

“I am honoured and very delighted to have achieved this award especially on the day that I’ll be going back to my family and leave the Victim Support,” she told Talamua.

“I am inspired to do greater things in my life now, have always been since I joined the Victim Support, and will continue to do so.”

Ms. Mohr was brought into the Samoa Victim Support Group after she was beaten up by a family member in 2020 while she was in Year 10 at Leulumoega Fou College.

After a year with the Samoa Victim Support, she realised she needed to build up her leadership skills and to stand up for herself.

“I find that the difference was that at home I am the only girl and at SVSG, I get to mingle with girls my age,” she said.

She said she is beyond inspired by the words of Tofilau Fiti Leung Wai who highlighted and encouraged strong leadership skills as one of the major criteria for the awards.

Proud parents gathered this morning to witness the success of their children’s academic journeys with the assistance of SSAB Company.