Te Aro School is about as vibrant and bustling a learning environment as any kid could hope for. Hidden away at the south end of The Terrace, Te Aro is overseen by its remarkable principal, Sue Clement, and teaches children from over forty nationalities and cultural backgrounds. Te Aro is one of six Wellington schools engaged in the Garden to Table program.
Mt Roskill school Wesley Primary lays the foundations for healthier kids as they kick off their Garden to Table programme. Wesley teacher Ana Tonga and principal Brenda Martin share the vision of what this will mean for their school.
From the mean streets up north to a tightrope of homelessness, mental health and substance abuse issues, Tim bravely shares his journey with DCM Wellington back into housing and health.
Peter Burke breaks the chains of addiction and homelessness to live a life helping others.
Whaiora Patrick knows all too well the shame and stress of child poverty and how badly it can affect your mental health and wellbeing growing up: she’s been there. There were dark and lonely times but Whaiora survived thanks to her love of writing and desire to help others. A Future Leader with Inspiring Stories, she wants to share her experiences to show young people that it’s okay to not be okay.
Wellington’s NICU cares for more than 1000 of the hospital’s tiniest patients each year, the vast majority of whom will go home with their relieved and proud parents. Behind them are devoted nurses who have worked long hours, employing the latest technology and techniques, caring their best to give these newest of New Zealanders the greatest shot at life.
For Ken Te Tau, losing a foot meant gaining a second chance at life, as his amputation opened the way to new opportunities. But Ken also helps others by giving them hope and he now sees himself as someone who weaves people together. Ken offers peer support to fellow amputees in Aotearoa and gives amputees overseas a new life by recycling prostheses for charity Take My Hands. As a cultural adviser he brings Pākehā into the Māori world, as a musician he inspires Pink Floyd fans.
Wendy Preston has always been a self-starter with the capacity to inspire people and sweep them along with her. Her life of constant creativity, strong role models, and cross-cultural experiences was a natural fit for a project that uses creativity to empower young people with refugee and migrant backgrounds to increase their confidence, self-expression and communication skills.
Growing up in South Africa gave Pip Findlay a love of nature and the environment. Later, in New Zealand, she learned of rhinos being poached to the verge of extinction and began a fundraising initiative to help. Seeing what a small group of people can accomplish together when they care about a cause now sees her making a difference in the lives of people in Malawi and Myanmar. She also makes a mean banana loaf!
The dazzling cover art of The Generosity Journal you’re holding comes courtesy of self-described design fairy, Kelly Spencer. She’s a freelance graphic artist based in Wellington but busy around the world. Kelly’s creative style is characterized by a bold use of colour, curvaceous forms, and clean lines. Here, she talks us through how the cover came together, life as a freelance artist, and what she’s been up to lately.
Oliver Vetter knows his trash. Seriously. He’s seen it all and isn’t afraid to tell you the hard truths. The Wellington programme manager for our partner charity Sustainable Coastlines sits down to separate fact from fallacy and let us know what we really need to do to keep our coastlines clean and beautiful.
Aye Htoo lives in Kalay, Myanmar. ADC Microfinance facilitated her first loan five years ago through ZMF, their partner microfinance institution. Since 2014, Aye has had a total of 6 loans and is proud as punch that she has never missed a payment!
Amanda Burgess didn’t know what to expect when she went into labour three months early. With the help of Wellington’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and our partner charity The Neonatal Trust, Amanda and her partner Michael made it through to the other side with a beautiful baby and smiles on their faces. Here is their story.
What is speech language therapy and how does it help children with Down syndrome? We chatted to speech language therapist Shannon Hennig about the importance of communication, the lack of funding for those who need it and the relief provided by our partner charity, UpsideDowns.
Maurethe Little sought Bellyful’s help twice when struggling with her two young sons and chronic ill health. Two years later she’s blooming, and is putting her own time and effort back into the organisation that supported her.
With the help of our partner charity DCM, Arthur has his own home, a new set of teeth, is on a path to employment, and is able to hear so much better. DCM is dedicated to supporting people like Arthur, people who are experiencing homelessness, into sustainable housing. Here’s his story.
