The PAFNW Awards Fund was established to encourage and support educational aspirations of Indigenous women and girls. These awards are open to women of First Nations, Metis and Inuit identity.
The Association is excited to announce the 2021 Education Awards for Indigenous women attending Post Secondary studies in BC. The Association has two awards to distribute this March to honour Indigenous women and their achievements. We will offer a $2,500 bursary for Indigenous women in financial need, and a $2,500 Language and Leadership Scholarship Award. Dr. Ethel Gardner was a board member of the Association and was instrumental in securing our Language Program funding. That is why the award is named -The Dr Ethel Gardner Language and Leadership Scholarship. A member of the Sto:lo Nation, Dr. Gardner passed to the spirit world last year.
This year we are thankful for our partnership with Claudia Alan Inc.’s AYA Optical who will be donating $10 from every Dixon and Bonnie eyewear to the fund! Also, donations can be made below in increments of $40.
Deadline for applications was: March 22nd, 2021 at 12:00pm (Noon)
Successful applicants were notified by: March 30th, 2021
2021 Award Winners
2021 Bursary
Thank you note: Weyptkp (Hello everyone), my name is Savanna Sandy from Secwepemcűlecw (Land of the Shuwap). I am currently in my third year of the Bachelor of Social Work program at Nicola Valley Institute of Technology. I have been residing in the Greater Vancouver area for most of my life. I appreciate the opportunity to be the recipient of PAFNW’s 2021 Bursary Award. Living in an urban setting, language and culture have a significant role in my identity and academic development, and personal well-being. The Pacific Association of First Nations Women has played a huge role with my cultural development and I am truly grateful.
Kukstemce (thank you).
2021 Dr Ethel Gardner Language and Leadership Scholarship
Thank you note: tānsi, Charlotte Ross nitisithīkāson. I am a registered band member of Montreal Lake Cree Nation. My formative years were immersed in the Cree language (Woodland TH-dialect) and culture that my family lived through our traditional lifestyle living off the land. I am a proud and grateful mother and grandmother for my sibling’s children. My oldest child is also pursuing post-secondary education while my youngest child is in high school.
Each day, I wake up loving the fact that I am blessed to be a doctoral student in Indigenous Language Revitalization through the University of Victoria. I am a speaker, reader and writer of the Cree language, Woodland TH-dialect, and have also been a university Instructor using the Plains Cree Y-dialect. Through my studies, I am learning about the abundance of different programs for the many types of language situations that exist among Indigenous communities worldwide. I am currently co-facilitating an online conversational Cree coffee group and helping my Band with Cree language materials. I so appreciated reading Dr. Ethel Gardner’s work early on in my education and especially on the 4 R’s of Indigenous Language Revitalization – respect, relevance, responsibility, and reciprocity which framed the sacred work she was involved in with Grand Council Treaty 3 and in the Stó:lō territory (Gardner, 2012). I am humbled and grateful to have received this special award in honour of one of my heroes that opened the door to sharing our unique Indigenous insights.
2020 Winners
Bursary: Jordanna Roesler
Scholarship: Ceilidh Smith
2019 Winners
Bursary winners: Davena Isaac & Shelby Henry
Scholarship winners: Autumn Schnell & Lindsay Thevarge
Help Sponsor Indigenous Women’s
Post-Secondary Education
PAFNW is committed to the holistic success of Indigenous women. We want to support women to thrive culturally as well as financially. So, we have set up a scholarship fund to sponsor Indigenous womens’ post secondary education. We are very excited to fundraise and then offer an awards ceremony next spring. Please include your contact information so we can stay in touch about how much we collect and who the amazing recipients of your generosity are.
NOTE: We are currently accepting donations, please note, our PayPal account is not working at the moment!
We are accepting donations via e-transfer via our email: info@pafnw.ca Please contact your bank on e-transfer instructions and methods.
Donate to PAFNW!
We are currently accepting donations, please note, our PayPal account is not working at the moment! We are accepting donations via e-transfer via our email: info@pafnw.ca Please contact your bank on e-transfer instructions and methods. Our mission is to advocate for systems change and provide Indigenous, culturally safe learning and offer holistic supports to uplift Indigenous women and strengthen families. Your donation will go a long way to ensure we can provide sustainable programs!
CA$50.00
Pacific Association of First Nations Women 