Faces of Service: Eva

“I was born and raised in South Auckland. I started Karate at the age of 6 and have been committed to the sport ever since - I’m a black belt.  

There were some SVA Ambassadors at my school which is how I was introduced to SVA. I took the extra step to volunteer primarily because I liked that it was an opportunity for me to begin making a difference in my community. Additionally, SVA’s commitment to service and the local communities really inspired me to become a part of positive change.  

In January 2023, I started a non-profit called KickStartYouth (KSY) which focuses on spreading awareness about the importance of learning self-defence through teaching primary school students karate free of cost. KSY aims to provide an opportunity for young children all around Tāmaki Makaurau to learn useful and lifelong skills.  

Through starting KSY, I was able to grow and develop my teaching skills to a higher standard. I also improved my overall communication, which helped me with both teaching younger students and my life outside karate. I hope that my sessions with the students have helped them feel confident defending themselves, should they ever need to. 

For me, SVA has been a great opportunity to discover new volunteering opportunities and meet new people with the same goals as me, such as to make a positive impact on the wider community. SVA brings like-minded people together, promoting the making of a better world.”