At age 12, Ariki* had never experienced the magic of Christmas that most tamariki look forward to – the excitement, joy, love and laughter. For all his life, Ariki, his mother and siblings had lived in the shadow of fear, and Christmas was the worst time of the year. Christmas should be a season of…

Our Amorangi Chaplaincy service provides pastoral care and religious support with a te ao Māori focus to meet the cultural and spiritual needs of tūhoro (patients) and whānau at Middlemore Hospital. This powerful story demonstrates the impact of this life-changing service. Denise, one of our Amorangi Chaplains, was called to support Wiremu*, a tāne in…

As we walk alongside whānau to help heal and restore wellbeing, our kaimahi experience many profound moments. This story shows the difference just one person can make by providing a ray of hope and reassurance. While supporting Hana*, a wāhine in her 50s who was undergoing chemotherapy, Denise (one of our kairuruku) had the privilege…

After years of being in a controlling and abusive relationship, Marama* is on a journey towards healing with the support of Te Whare. She has courageously shared her story with us. “Before connecting with Te Whare, my life was filled with darkness, and I was purely in survival mode,” she says. “I lived in constant…

Collaborations with other agencies are integral to our strategic pillar of Safer Communities, enabling us to work together to build safer and more resilient hapori whānui and a stronger Aotearoa. To achieve this, we’re proud to partner with the New Zealand Police, community partners and other social services providers to provide even greater impact in…

After a lifetime of domestic abuse, alcohol and drugs, Sione* and Alisi* are working hard to free themselves of violence and get their tamariki back. This courageous couple shared their story with us. “We both came from backgrounds of domestic violence,” says Sione. “Growing up, I’ve seen it all – violence, alcohol and drugs within our…

Whaea’s story is a wonderful example of our mahi in action. Our Pouhono service supports this 78-year-old kaumātua to access a range of health services, improve her living circumstances, manage her weekly living expenses and reconnect with whānau. When talking to one of our Pouhono kaimahi, Whaea shared memories of her younger self and a…

After a long history of trauma and violence, Rowena* and Moana* are now on a path towards healing and restoring their whānau, thanks to the support and guidance of our kaimahi. Rowena was a victim of physical and psychological abuse from a previous relationship and her two tamariki had been removed from her care and…