A group of Aorere College students wants Pacific Island families to get fit, move their bodies and embrace their culture.
The year 12 and 13 students are taking part in the Young Enterprise Scheme and came second overall at the Counties Manukau oral business planning presentation finals. They also won the best business plan award.
Their company iFigure is creating a workout DVD for Pacific Island families, based on latest fitness craze Zumba. The DVD will have 90 minutes of Pacific Island dancing to traditional music with choreography by a Pasifika dance teacher.
Lina Chand and Tupou Niuafe came up with the idea after going to a church birthday celebration. All the group members have tested it and say it's a good workout.
Lina said, "We realised dancing was a way of getting fit and healthy and it was really fun.”
Another member of the Group, Jacob Tuporo, says they want to use traditional dancing to tackle the obesity problem in Pacific Islanders.
"We thought what better way to get them going and active than with a DVD that includes their culture." He said that, while iFigure hopes to make a profit, the main aim is to create an awareness of obesity in Manukau.
The students were never in it for the money, and are now concentrating on filming and editing the DVD and are aiming for an August release and is currently looking for a Pacific Island family to star in it. Anyone wishing to volunteer or buy a copy of the finished DVD when it is released can email ifigure@hotmail.com
The iFigure business will compete in the regional Young Enterprise Scheme competition in October and if successful will go on to nationals in November.
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