Our Wave funding is a social innovation model that gives whānau the agency to realise their own aspirations

Gina Malcolm’s journey into mātauranga Māori holistic rongoā has been life changing one. Now, through Māmā Gee (previously known as Hine Mahuta Hauora) the business she set up three years ago, she is encouraging whānau to intuitively seek out their pathway for healing towards becoming the best they can be.

Reni Wereta-Gargiulo (Ngāti Ruanui, Ngā Rauru, Te Ātiawa), has been able to develop Kiwi Kai Nelson into a successful parent company that prepares and produces healthy, sustainable Māori-inspired kai and seafood. Inspired by her whānau upbringing, Reni says “As long as we’re holistically following our Māori principles, we’re happy with what we’re doing”

What began as a whānau fundraiser and part-time passion seven years ago, is now a fulltime business and Bridgette Keil (Ngāti Tamaterā), owner of Koukou Creations, is excited that Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu WAVE funding has helped make her dream a reality.