OUR MISSION

The mission of Ma Ka Hana Ka ʻIke (In Working, One Learns) is to provide Hāna youth with a way to learn that makes sense to them, that builds their self-esteem and shows them they have the power to change their future.

Ma Ka Hana Ka ʻIke is an award-winning vocational training program for youth in Hāna, Maui — an isolated community on the island's east coast with over two-thirds of its population of Native Hawaiian ancestry. Our approach is to teach academic subjects through real-life, hands-on application, where students can understand the concepts they're learning through tangible examples. But these aren't just examples for learning's sake. Our projects meet real school and community needs, so our students' education immediately serves those whose lives it touches. Self-sustenance, community relationship, cultural connection — these are some of the principles we aim to pass onto the next generation, as we create caretakers of our future, leaders of our island.