News
Janice Lee and the Koha Kai team received a visit from the Hon Peeni Henare,Minister for Community, Minister for Youth, Minister for Whanau Ora and Associate Minister of Social Development
Janice says He has been visiting our Regions looking at local initiatives which are working effectively and making a difference and an impact within their communities.
We are immensely grateful to have been one of those initiatives he was observing. Its one thing to see our stories on here, and to hear our Korero as we talk about what we are doing – its another thing completely to become immersed in the process and see it working at a grass roots level.
That is very hard to achieve, and we are very grateful to Helen Leahy who has been advocating for us through Te Putahitanga o te Waipounamu. They are a Whanau Ora commissioning agency, and they have been supporting and working with us over the past two years.
We are incredibly grateful to all those businesses and groups who have worked alongside us and who have supported us through this time of development, and for the schools who continue to partner with us as we seek to make a difference in the lives of people living with disability – and of children and families living in hardship.
The Minister has given us a clear message for what is required in order for us to become successful on a National level, and there is much hard work ahead for all of us – but we have a tremendous team, and I know its achievable, so I’m looking forward to meeting those requirements and realising the Vision we had in the beginning.
By Janice Lee, Founder of koha Kai. Video: Youtube