Aroha Nui, Mokopuna Ora – Honoring the Legacy

It is with heavy hearts that we share that Mokopuna Ora will come to an end this June. Even more devastating is the closure of Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu, the commissioning agency that backed this kaupapa from the beginning.

This is not just the end of a contract — it’s the loss of a powerful, whānau-led movement that supported our māmā and pēpi in ways that truly honoured who we are. Mokopuna Ora wasn’t just a programme; it was a living expression of our tūpuna values, our mātauranga, and our hopes for intergenerational wellbeing.

At Te Hono o Ngā Waka, this kaupapa has been part of our wairua. First led by myself, then by Nikita, and most recently by Te Aroha, we have supported hundreds of whānau through our Tūpuna Parenting and Building Awesome Whānau programmes. Together we created space for our māmā and tāne to reconnect, reflect and realise that parenting with aroha, strength and tikanga is not only possible — it’s part of our whakapapa.

It’s incredibly disheartening to witness the widespread cuts under the current National Government. So many kaupapa that were working, that were grounded in whānau leadership and cultural identity, have been taken away. These weren’t handouts — they were systems of restoration, healing, and empowerment.

We will continue to do this mahi in whatever way we can. Whether it looks the same or takes a new shape, Mokopuna Ora lives on through us. The knowledge, the mātauranga, and the science of the first 30 days of life — the vital window that sets the foundation for everything to come — is something we can no longer unlearn.
"Do what you can with what you know, and when you know better — do better."

E kore e mimiti te puna aroha.
Ka whati te tī, ka wana te tī — the kaupapa continues.