Te Pā o Rākaihautū, a kura-ā-iwi school in Linwood, has claimed victory at the prestigious Zayed Sustainability Prize awards in Abu Dhabi.
Recognised in the Global High Schools category, the school impressed judges with its innovative “Puku Māra” project, combining Māori cultural practices with modern sustainability solutions, including composting and land restoration.
Former student Kiritiana accepting the award on stage
Te Pā o Rākaihautū is a whānau-based pā wānanga (community learning village) that integrates mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) and cultural practices into its educational approach.
In 2024, a group of eight Year 13 students submitted an application for the Zayed Sustainability Prize 2025.
The students were Te Rā Hangu, Lewis, Saffron, Ewan, Kiritiana, Kahia, Mahinarangi & Keala.
Te Pā o Rākaihautū students just after the school won
The Zayed Sustainability Prize is the UAE’s global award that recognises and rewards small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), nonprofit organisations (NPOs), and global high schools with impactful, innovative, and inspiring sustainable solutions.
The Zayed Sustainability Prize
The prize will support expanding the project and sharing its impact nationwide.
Principal Terina Tahau told chrislynchmedia.com Kia “It is extremely humbling to have been chosen as a finalist, and winning today still seems slightly unreal.”
The school wins US$150,000 (NZ$267,167). The school competed against finalists from Beijing and Fiji in the Asia and Pacific region.
The award, presented during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, cements Te Pā o Rākaihautū as a global leader in education for sustainability.
