SIRIS APPS Trust was founded to make quality learning — in language and in livelihood — available to every whānau, migrant, refugee and rangatahi in New Zealand.
We began with weekend language classes for children of migrant families who wanted to hold on to their mother tongues while thriving in Aotearoa. What started around a kitchen table has grown into a network of educators, community leaders and volunteers delivering multilingual education and career-ready training across the motu.
We work in partnership with iwi, Pasifika fanau, migrant associations, TEC providers and local councils — always led by the people we serve.
Hospitality and care for every learner who walks through our doors.
Building relationships that make learning a shared journey.
Reciprocal learning — teachers learn from students, always.
Unity across cultures, faiths and generations.
Three families in Manurewa start Saturday-morning Tamil and Samoan classes for their tamariki.
Trust deed signed, board of six trustees elected, Charities Services registration granted.
Delivered 400 loaned devices and moved every class online in six weeks; no learner left behind.
First cloud, healthcare and early-childhood micro-credentials — 92% completion in cohort one.
Hubs in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Ōtautahi and Ōtepoti. 12 languages, 40+ tracks.
Breaking ground on our first purpose-built community learning centre in South Auckland.
"My mother crossed an ocean carrying two things: a suitcase and a language. Ten years on, SIRIS APPS exists so that no child in Aotearoa has to choose between the language of home and the future of their dreams."
Volunteer trustees drawn from the communities we serve. Full board bios and declared interests available on request.
Founding trustee with 20+ years in IT services and community organising. Bhaskar leads the board, holds our relationships with iwi, councils and funders, and chairs the strategy and risk committee.
bhaskar@sirisapps.org.nz
Keeper of the minutes, the trust deed and the annual return. Chandana coordinates board meetings, Charities Services reporting, volunteer onboarding and our privacy practice.
chandana@sirisapps.org.nz
A teacher for over two decades, Rathna designs our regional-language syllabi, trains volunteer tutors and runs the Saturday whānau language schools across Auckland.
rathna@sirisapps.org.nz
Cloud engineer by trade. Krishna maps our micro-credentials to NZ employer demand, mentors rangatahi into tech internships and runs the AI & cloud fundamentals cohorts.
krishna@sirisapps.org.nz
Oversees the trust's accounts, grant acquittals and audit. Jagan prepares our annual financial statements and leads applications to Lottery, COGS and regional community trusts.
jagan@sirisapps.org.nz
Connector-in-chief. Ramesh leads settlement support, kaumātua and whānau wellbeing programmes, and keeps our hubs stocked with kai, transport and volunteers.
ramesh@sirisapps.org.nzFormer teacher; 20 years in community education across Tamil Nadu and Aotearoa.
Ngāti Whātua; kaupapa Māori educator and te reo advocate.
Chartered accountant; specialises in NFP governance and financial reporting.
PhD in adult learning; leads our upskilling curriculum design.
Pacific Church Council liaison; Porirua community leader for 15 years.
Former RASNZ caseworker; represents refugee-background learners.
Fereni arrived from Tonga in 2019 with a nursing degree that nobody would recognise. Two years, one bridging programme and 340 hours of clinical English later, she is a registered nurse at Middlemore — and teaches our Tongan Saturday class on the side.
Twelve rangatahi, one shed, and a donated Raspberry Pi lab. Two are now paid interns at NZ tech firms; four are studying at MIT and AUT; all still show up on Wednesday nights to teach the year below.
Started as three grandmothers wanting to teach their mokopuna. Now a 60-strong intergenerational programme with a waiting list, running in three libraries across Auckland.
CC# on request. Annual reports published every June.
All paid staff and contractors paid at or above the NZ Living Wage.
Board constitution names Te Tiriti o Waitangi as our founding kawenata.
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