Westpac has welcomed Miss Hibiscus, Melania Tora as an advocate for this year’s 2025 Westpac Women and Girls Education Grant Programme.
Tora’s inspiring journey and dedication will help amplify the grant’s reach and inspire more young women and girls across Fiji to seize this opportunity and apply.
The programme has supported 231 women and girls over the past decade and a half, awarding close to $300,000 in education grants, which has helped break down barriers and create opportunities across communities nationwide.
Westpac has announced that this year 30 grants will be available across primary, secondary, and tertiary categories, with prizes ranging from $500 to $2,500.
A new development for 2025 includes an invitation to secondary school entrants to express themselves creatively through video, spoken word, or performance submissions, in addition to traditional essay entries.
Westpac says they believe that education extends beyond the classroom, and that high school girls possess diverse talents, and they want to encourage fresh perspectives on gender equality.
Winners will also receive free financial literacy and business basics training from Westpac’s Community and Engagement Team, ensuring that alongside financial support, recipients gain the knowledge and skills to manage their grants wisely and build sustainable futures for themselves.
Shane Smith, Chief Executive of Westpac Fiji, says the Westpac Women and Girls Education Grant has supported women and girls in Fiji for the past 14 years.
He says this year, with new creative avenues and financial literacy training, they are not only supporting education but also nurturing confidence, creativity, and resilience.
Applications for the grant are now open.
