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This week has been one of great loss for our Whānau Ora family as we mourn the passing of two exceptional wāhine, Kiri Paikea and Tracey-Lee Anderson.
Kiri joined Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu in the early days of the pandemic as a Virtual Navigator and together with her work at Ngā Hau e Whā, she quickly established herself as a Whānau Ora champion. We loved her, whānau loved her, she was resilient, gutsy, and authentic, and was the perfect guide for whānau feeling trapped in the lockdown and uneasy with the then new concept of social distancing.
Kiri would work her magic and do whatever was needed so that no-one was left behind or felt judged, gifting her time and wise words well beyond the call of duty. Although she had since moved on from this role, Kiri very much remained part of the Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu whānau.
We send all our love and support to the whānau of Kiri and her beloved, Tim. We also acknowledge our own Tash and her whānau who will miss Kiri immensely.
You have left an indelible mark on all of your Whānau Ora family, Kiri.
Moe mai e te Mareikura, moe mai ra.
In Te Tauihu and well beyond, hundreds are also grieving the passing of the beautiful and ever-giving Tracey-Lee Anderson.
Tracey-Lee and her beautiful Puha sisters – Julie and Kathleen – were one of the first Wave entities Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu supported back in 2015 when they started Waka Whenua, taking the glint of a bright idea formed looking at the night sky above Te Āwhina Marae in Motueka and turning it into reality. After 20 years with the Ministry of Social Development, Tracey wanted to reach further to change lives – and she did just that. A spring of hope and positivity, her story gave whānau across the motu hope, and also paved the way for health agencies to sit up and take notice of the need to do things our own way. Tracey was an exemplar of Whānau Ora in action, a pillar of her whānau and of her community.
As Matariki rises, we will look to the stars, we will mourn you both, we will wish you a safe journey and remember the values you both held so dear.
Moe mai, moe mai, hoki atu ki te kainga tūturu mō tātou. Haere, haere, haere atu ra.
Today we celebrated Julia Maxwell who is moving to a new role as Equity Consultant with PwC. Julia began as a Tupu Toa intern in the Human Resources space and has more recently moved to Mana Ora where she has been working in the policy team. It has been great to watch Julia’s skills grow. We will miss Julia and the awesome contribution she has made to serve whānau in the Whānau Ora space but are sure she will take these learnings as she begins her new journey with PwC.
Having successfully obtained additional funding for our Tū Pono partners, it has been wonderful to meet with Whānau Ora partners this week to share the news. The additional investment will allow partners to employ a second Tū Pono Connector and help alleviate some of the high costs involved with this work in the challenging and complex field of family violence. The increase in funding reflects not only the voice of our hard-working Tū Pono partners and kaimahi, but also the overwhelming support Tū Pono Connectors have received from whānau, who report some amazing outcomes thanks to the support of the Connectors. This week, we met with board members of Te Mana Kaha ki Te Tauihu, Interim Manager Ann Martin, Co-chairs Barney Thomas and Rita Powick, and Tū Pono Māori Response Police Liaison Officer, Tracey Wharehoka, who have welcomed the additional support. We will spend the next few weeks engaging with other partners to share the great news.
Wāhine mā, Hawaiki Kura is running a women’s wellness and empowerment wānanga, Hine Te Waiora, at Rotoiti in the Nelson Lakes area from July 21-23. Prepare to embark on a journey of self- and collective discovery and empowerment as you learn a range of taonga tuku iho (ancestral gifts). Through participating in activities such as tūwaewae (Māori movement), Mau rākau (traditional weaponry), karakia (incantations), whakatau mauri (Māori meditation), and whakawhanaungatanga (making healthy connections), you will unlock your inner potential and nurture your holistic well-being. This is a great opportunity to re-energise your wairua and connect with a beautiful sisterhood. For more information and to register, see here.
Te Kīwai is still open for applications and we encourage you to help us let whānau know it is available. Te Kīwai is open to Māori aged 5 to 18 years living in Te Waipounamu, Rakiura and Rēkohu/Wharekauri who are experiencing financial hardship and need that little extra support to gear up and get active. Eligible tamariki/rangatahi can apply for up to $300 per annum to contribute to uniforms; equipment; participation costs like membership fees or club fees; and transportation (petrol vouchers). See more here.
