Takikawa Rangi from Te Puia Hot Springs (left), Tim Kirke from Timaru and Lexie Knight from Tauranga with a replica World War I AFS ambulance - a symbol of the beginnings of the organisation's mission of peace. The three are the winners of AFS Gallipoli youth awards which will see them travel to Turkey for Anzac commemorations and stay with local families. Photo / Supplied
Takikawa Rangi from Te Puia Hot Springs (left), Tim Kirke from Timaru and Lexie Knight from Tauranga with a replica World War I AFS ambulance - a symbol of the beginnings of the organisation's mission of peace. The three are the winners of AFS Gallipoli youth awards which will see them travel to Turkey for Anzac commemorations and stay with local families. Photo / Supplied
East Coast teenager Takikawa Rangi heads next week to Turkey as one of three AFS Gallipoli Youth Award winners for 2026.
The 16-year-old student from Te Puia Hot Springs will be at Gallipoli for the Anzac commemorations.
“I feel grateful to be able to stand where our tīpuna once stoodand fought to secure a better future for us. It’s an absolute honour and privilege,” he said.
“I’m really looking forward to learning a whole different culture and a new reo. I’m keen to embrace it all and to meet new people. It will be an awesome experience.”
He and the other two winners will stay with host families in Turkey for three weeks.
Takikawa Rangi is 'keen to keen to embrace it all and to meet new people' during his AFS experience in Turkey. Photo / Supplied
His whānau and community will gather at the Returned Services urupā at Iritekura Marae, Waipiro Bay, on Thursday at 11am for a karakia for Takikawa before he travels.
AFS was founded in 1914 as the American Field Service and was a volunteer ambulance corps during both world wars.
It changed its mission after World War II to focus on fostering peace through student exchange.
