The Full Story

Ko e Ngaue mo Manava
We are Pacific-centred partners

Manava Partners understands Pacific peoples. We actively listen to our partners and take a co-design approach, often starting with an indigenous concept level to inform design and delivery of consulting, partnerships, training and advocacy, for the benefit of Pacific peoples.

Ko ‘emau Kaveinga
Our Story

Manava Partners (Manava) was co-founded in 2019 by two New Zealand-born Tongan sisters - Christine and Merianna. Christine is a Pacific development specialist with a postgraduate MA degree in Education. Merianna is a Pacific creative with a degree in Women's Studies. Together both sisters have travelled and worked in Asia and the Pacific region and with their shared love of learning, people and with 15+ years of teaching, policy and executive leadership experience in government and community roles, Manava was co-founded to make a difference for Pacific women living in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Manava means 'breath' within the concept of 'breath of life' closely associated with creation. The meaning of the concept provided a foundation for their mission of creating great spaces for Pacific women and girls to lead and grow. This mission recognises the significant influence that Pacific women have for casting vision and driving great educational, economic and social outcomes for their families and wider communities. Both Christine and Merianna are fluent in Tongan and English, they grew up in a strong faith-based home and Christine is married with two children.

Ko e taumu’a
Our Mission

Ke fa’u ‘a e ngaahi feitu’u ‘e tupu ai ‘a e tatakimo e ako ai ‘a e hou’eiki fafine Pasifiki.

Creating great spaces for Pacific women and girls to lead and grow.

Our mission is underpinned by our belief that indigenous women in the Pacific have an abundance of intellect, beauty, cultural depth, and centuries of wisdom which can help protect and respond to challenges we are facing in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Ko ‘emau ngaue tokoni
Our Services

To deliver on our mission, Manava provides consulting, partnerships, and training. We believe that our success in achieving our goal will come from delivering in our four services:

Ngaue Fale'ia mo Talanoa

Consulting

We assist organisations in all things Pacific through provision of Pacific strategies, business development, technical advice and capacity strengthening services.

Ngaue Tauhi mo Pule Fonua

Governance

We participate in and are passionate about how resources for Pacific communities are governed. We are interested in indigenous governance models, in particular with a Tongan perspective and we are interested in social justice. An example of our social justice work is our article and interview, Dawn Raid apology has the power to heal.

Chris Nurminen and Other Codesigners - Kava o Aotearoa Pic.jpg

Ngaue Fetokoni

Partnerships

Relationships are core to improving outcomes for Pacific women and families, so we partner with organisations that support our mission to create great places for Pacific women to lead and grow. One example of this partnership is our work with Kava ‘o Aotearoa.

Ko e Ngafa ‘o e Hou’eiki Fafine Pasifiki nofo ‘Aotearoa

Training

We deliver workshops based on our Fefine Framework to help young Pacific girls and women to identify and utilise their cultural identity in relationships in the workplace and community settings to broaden their opportunities.

CLIENTS