Te Whenua Group secures $70,000 to launch He Whare Tōnui pilot for Māori home ownership

Kaiwhakahaere mahi pakihi/business general manager Piri Hira Tukapu and financial wellbeing coach Cat Rikihana.

A programme aimed at empowering people with financial education in readiness for home ownership has received a financial boost from a charitable trust.

Booster Foundation, a charitable trust created and funded by Booster Financial Services, has given $70,000 of funding to the Levin-based Te Whenua Group to help develop its He Whare Tōnui pilot programme.

Māori people are disproportionately affected by housing instability, with a significant portion moving frequently due to rental circumstances – something Te Whenua Group aims to change, addressing these disparities by providing a stable foundation for home ownership.

The He Whare Tōnui pilot programme will empower participants with financial education and home ownership skills within a tikanga Māori framework, and the funding from Booster Foundation will help get the programme going, said Te Whenua Group kaiwhakahaere matua/founder Kushla Okano.

Okano said feedback shows there is demand for the programme, set to launch later this year.

“Our collaboration with the Booster Foundation is a significant leap towards realising our vision of empowering our communities. By intertwining financial literacy with te ao Māori values, we’re not just educating; we’re nurturing a financially savvy generation rooted in their cultural identity. So, this programme is more than a pathway to home ownership – it’s a journey towards securing a legacy of wealth and resilience for future generations.”

Ilona Hanne is a Taranaki-based journalist who covers breaking and community news from across the region. She has worked for NZME since 2011.