Meet our Sponsors - the Gattung Foundation

We are a teeny tiny charity with a big vision. We want to help those from disadvantaged or underrepresented backgrounds achieve their dream of becoming a commercial pilot. Over the years it has become the domain of the wealthy white male. It was always the domain of men.

We are changing the statistics one scholarship at a time. So far, we have awarded 11 scholarships, of which 3 went to young women, and two to young men from other underrepresented groups. 10 were given to those with a financially disadvantaged background.

We feel we are on the right track.

Our scholarship awards have grown from the one first provided to John’s alma mater, Hillmorton High School, to a potential four each year. The only reason we can offer so many is because of organisations and individuals who have stepped up and chosen to stand with us and support our cause.

As such, we feel it is only fair, and the right thing to do, to share with you who they are, and today we introduce the Gattung Foundation.

‘Community care and hard work’ values were instilled in the Gattung sisters from a very young age. These principles are evident today, with Angela and Theresa Gattung’s significant achievements in both the professional and philanthropic landscape.

 The Gattung sisters are first generation Kiwis, their parents immigrating from England in 1961. Growing up in Rotorua, they were raised with Christian values and taught the merits of working hard to achieve their goals. Their household was very community focused, and from her mid-20s, Theresa set up monthly donations to charities that supported women and animals.

Angela and Theresa Gattung

Both natural leaders, the sisters headed into challenging careers. Angela studied to become a teacher, while Theresa worked in corporate roles. Theresa earned accolades as the first female CEO of a NZX listed company, Telecom New Zealand in 1999.  After departing Telecom, Theresa was instrumental in new business developments including co-founding My Food Bag and more recently became Chair of healthcare provider, Tend. She holds numerous governance roles on national and international boards; and has featured  in Fortune magazine’s list of the 50 most powerful women in global business.  Angela worked in the education sector for over 25 years, where she was Principal at Inglewood High School and then spent five years consulting in education in the Arabian Gulf, Middle East and Central Asia.

As their professional careers progressed, Theresa and Angela were always aware of, and supporting causes close to their hearts.  In particular, they are both driven by empowering women and girls, to help lift those who suffer in the poverty or abuse cycles to lead independent, successful lives. Another area which they are extremely passionate about is the welfare of animals.

 "My sisters and I were told that women can be anything they want to be when provided with equal opportunities.  To this day, I firmly believe that and for most of my adult life have supported groups dedicated to empowering women," says Theresa.

 While supporting various charities, nationally and internationally the sisters’ determined it would be more effective to establish their own foundation so they could channel their combined skills, knowledge and energy to programmes that they believed were most effective. And so, the Gattung Foundation was founded in 2021. The Foundation contributes to over 50 initiatives that relieve poverty, reduce inequality, educate and advance women, Māori and Pasifika, and support the care and protection of animals. As well as supporting existing programmes, they work in the co-design space, helping organisations identify how to meet their greatest needs.

Angela Gattung and Abi Carter - winner 2023

Melissa first wrote to Angela in October 2022, introducing the Pauwels Flying Scholarship and explaining the problem they were trying to solve: getting diversity into the flight deck. Regarding women in commercial aviation, only 5% are airline pilots and 1% are captains. This resonated with the Foundation trustees and led to Angela meeting John and Melissa and thereafter signing a partnership agreement to fund scholarships for women. There are many hurdles to get through to be offered a scholarship but with the expertise of John and Melissa in the selection process, the Foundation was assured that the recipients have the highest probability of successfully gaining their commercial pilots’ license and therefore entering the field of commercial aviation.

Our partnership has a common purpose to improve the chance of life success for underprivileged women who are dreaming of flying as their career. We were excited to fund our first flying female in 2023 and look forward to continuing to do our small bit to encourage women, especially minority women, into an aviation career.

Thanks Angela and Theresa for your commitment and belief - both in us and in our scholarship winners.

Reader, if this is something that resonates with you and you'd like to help, please take a look at our Sponsorship page - https://www.pauwelsflyingscholarship.co.nz/sponsors