Tewai’s journey started as a child attending South Auckland’s Homai College which provided specialist education for blind students. Enjoying sport thanks to a passionate PE teacher she started competing in Blind Sports. In her early 20s, she was selected to the New Zealand Paralympic Team to compete at Arnhem 1980 where she won a bronze medal in the discus. Coming back from the Netherlands, Tewai focused on her studies and started a social work diploma. It helped her pursue her passion for disability development in the Pacific region. In 2003, with Latoa they established Vision Pacific, a charitable trust that helps disabled people live an independent life.
A feature story on Tewai can be found here.
Tewai officially received her ‘numbered’ Paralympic pin as part of The Celebration Project in Auckland in February 2020.
