Company with a cause
Earlier this year, students Miah Watson, Sivera Peneha and Erika McKee set up Maka, the name they have given their business, to teach more Kiwis te reo Maori.
The group's main products are language stickers designed and produced specifically for schools.
“The words are all related to classroom things — toilet, office, class, ruler, rubber . . . so they're meant to be in classrooms to promote and normalise the language,” the team said.
Alongside single words are short phrases students can use at school.
The three joined forces after entering the Young Enterprise Scheme (YES) — a high school programme that encourages students to set up and run a business.
Naming themselves Karawhiua Kan Do, the group started the business to promote te reo.
Read more about the YES company here.