Woman of the Month of April

Thirty-four year old Inangaro Van Dongen, nicknamed Vivian is an incredible role model to many young people back in her home island of Mitiaro.
She is a member of the Redcross, Disability and Youth Council in Mitiaro, where she was born and raised. She excels in many areas from sports to Youth counseling. Inangaro is currently here in Rarotonga leading the U16 Girls Soccer team from Mitiaro, “I just got on the island and they straightaway told me that I am going to be the next Woman of the Month” she laughs.
Her parents Mr and Mrs Tunoa Raeputa are the Assistant CICC Ministers for Mitiaro so it’s only natural that she attends a Cook Islands Christians Church but she also fulfills her duties as a member of the Youth Ministry in the Mitiaro Christian Church, Vainetini and Ekalesia.
Van Dongen also runs a small dance group by the name of “Te Puna Akamou Korero” which was just formed last year and at the moment they are fundraising to build the Mitiaro Hurricane Centre. “We sell plates of food and put on dance shows and so far we have invested a thousand dollars, but we are still going”.
Her love for sports and her remarkable sports skills is what makes her a well suited Secretary of the Mitiaro Sports Association and Assistant General Secretary of Athletics Cook Islands. She will also be travelling to Mangaia later on in the year for the Manea Games and will be competing in Athletics, Traditional and Soccer section where she plays goal keep.
Although Van Dogen takes part in many sports and plays many different positions, she believes in letting the young ones have a go, “I want to let the young ones play, so we stay behind and give them a chance.” Inangaro attended Mitiaro Primary School and Tereora College when she was younger, where she gathered enough information to successfully become the Woman Development Officer for Mitiaro, which is now her every day job.
Inangaro’s hobbies and interests include dancing, singing, reading and having fun, on top of that she also loves to take tourists for tour guides around beautiful Mitiaro and spend time with family. All of which are most important to her and her successful life; her every day job, sports and her family-which not only consists of her three children and a beautiful grandchild but her extended family.
Although Inangaro has come across many interesting and exciting experiences, the most memorable she can recall is being selected as the Assistant General Secretary of Athletics Cook Islands. She would like to one day own a small business for herself and her family, particularly a Restaurant as she tells us there aren’t many Restaurants in Mitiaro.
Leaving us with some advice, she encourages women to support other women to push themselves to become Members of Parliament, Mayors and Councilors “there should be more women in high Postions” she exclaims.
Inangaro leaves Rarotonga on Easter Monday, just after the soccer tournaments. Inangaro Van Dongen, we wish you the best of luck and hope you continue to inspire and help the younger generation of today, and the people of Mitiaro prosper.

Herald Issue 554 09 March
- Norm exposes Trio of Doom
- Briefs from PM’s media conference Tuesday
- Tourism Industry ponders $5 million draft strategy
- Norman George resigns from Cook Islands Party
- Letter of Resignation from CIP
- Norman selfish says Prime Minister