Te Rūnanganui o Te Āti Awa has celebrated a new milestone in its commitment to community health, with the opening of its Hinerua building at Te Whiti Park.
The project, two years in the making, delivers extended hauora (health) services to locals, driven by the hands-on efforts of 44 young Whitireia and WelTec ākonga (students).
The future builders honed their skills as part of their construction trades certification, backed by Māori and Pasifika trades training scholarships (MPTT).
Named in tribute to trailblazing wāhine, Hine Luke and Elizabeth (Betty) Winitana, who pioneered marae-based health services in the 1960s, the Hinerua building stands tall as a testament to their vision according to Wirangi Luke, Te Rūnanganui o Te Āti Awate tumu whakarae and chief executive.
“It has been a wonderful process for us to think back to the good work of these two amazing wahine and really reflect on the ‘why’ of providing services to our whānau and community,” Luke said.
“It is steeped in the traditions of sharing knowledge, sharing kai and networking - whakawhanaungatanga.”
The hands-on involvement of ākonga with ancestral connections to Te Āti Awa, adds depth to the project according to Luke.
“The idea of young people from our community helping build what is needed for all is not new for us, so having the ākonga, many of whom have links to Te Āti Awa, work on the Hinerua building has been meaningful and appropriate,”
“It is our hope that they can bring their own young one day to see the fruits of their hard work and learning.”
Henry Ma’alo, the WelTec programme manager who led the students through their training on-site in Waiwhetū, says the collaborative programme between Te Rūnanganui o Te Āti Awa, WelTec and Te Pūkenga gives the students in the field training but also a sense of something bigger.
“We have had two groups of MPTT construction trades ākonga work on the project and we invited all of them back to see the end product - there were lots of smiling faces,” Ma’alo says.
“I reminded them that their hard work and dedication has created something meaningful for the community, that every nail and piece of timber is thanks to them, and they are all extremely proud of being part of this.”
Mark Oldershaw from says the Hinerua building collaboration is effectively a win-win, with students gaining practical skills in their rohe and the community gaining vital health services.
“The essence of our long-standing relationship with Te Āti Awa is brought alive when we collaborate on a project like this,” Oldershaw said.
“Together we are giving meaning to ākonga coming through the education system, we are teaching them real-life skills to help them stand on their own feet and feel proud, and we are helping so many in the community who rely on accessible health and wellbeing services.”
Earlier this year Te Rūnanganui o Te Āti Awa partnered again with WelTec and Te Pūkenga for a scholarship programme to qualify more nurses to work within their rohe.
Oldershaw emphasises the success of the collaborations as a blueprint for future initiatives, in demonstrating what can be accomplished working together.
“I look forward to the continuation of such significant ties with iwi,” he said.
