Luke Gray & Georgia Latu. two winners of the 2023 Impact Awards. Photo: Qiane-Matata-Sipu/ supplied
Luke Gray and Georgia Latu are two of five young people recognised at this year's Impact Awards for their leadership and innovation.
Luke created a mental health initiative for 13 to 18-year-olds which has been rolled out throughout the Eastern Bay of Plenty. He received a Kiwibank Local Hero of the Year Award in 2021.
Georgia Latu was 12 when she founded the eco-friendly poi company Pōtiki Poi, which now employs more than 40 people. She was a finalist for Young New Zealander of the Year 2023.
This is one of Kathryn Ryan's favourite interviews of 2023:
"One of the absolute highlights this year [for me] has been the number of interviews with standout young Kiwis of high-school age or in their early 20s doing amazing, impactful work. Here are just two of them: Luke Gray, whose mental health workshops for 13 to 18-year-olds have been rolled out throughout the Eastern Bay of Plenty. And Georgia Latu, who at 17 is CEO of the largest poi manufacturing company in the world, which supplied the Women's Rugby World Cup."
