Women from Rotorua and the Bay of Plenty are being helped into tertiary training thanks to scholarships from New Horizons for Women Trust with funds donated by Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology.

Toi Ohomai raised $20,000 for the trust at its annual charity golf day held at Rotorua's Arikikapakapa Rotorua Golf Club recently.

The tournament saw more than 120 golfers from local businesses across the rohe take to the course.

Toi Ohomai chief executive Dr Leon Fourie says the event was a great success and it was a privilege to hand over a cheque for $20,000 to New Horizons for Women Trust.

'Events like these aren't possible without generosity and kindness and we cannot do it without each and every one of our sponsors and supporters," Leon says.

This year the institute welcomed Datacom on board as naming rights sponsor, as well as having Holland Beckett on board as the lunch sponsor and Synergy Technologies as the dinner sponsor.

Westpac, Bay of Plenty Rugby Union, University of Waikato, Priority One, BOP Plumbing and Gas, Cooney Lees Morgan, Abodo Wood, Red Stag Timber, ITAB, and OCS also came on board as hole and golf cart sponsors.

'New Horizons for Women Trust do amazing things in our communities and the money donated will create scholarships enabling local women into, or back into tertiary education,” Leon says.

Rotorua's Ngapera Tiopira was one of the 2019 New Horizons for Women Trust scholarship recipients. The 23-year-old was studying a Level 4 Tertiary Skills course when she applied for the scholarship and says she was shocked when she found out her application was successful.

New Horizons for Women Trust scholarship recipient Ngapera Tiopira. Photo/Supplied

'I've just been accepted into the Bachelor of Nursing which I'm really excited about.

"I have a 3-year-old and he is a big motivator for me.

'Before I had my son I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life but since having him I've realised what I want to do and am really determined to achieve for myself and for him.”

Ngapera says the scholarship took some pressure off the financial strain of the impending course.

'It's amazing that people contribute to things like this and recipients like me really appreciate it. It makes you realise that there are people out there who actually care about your education.

"So I want to say thank you to everyone who contributes.”