Making a noise for a good cause

Born and bred Northlander Kahui Neho moved to the Waikato in 2008 to further her nursing career. But now appalled by New Zealand's "tragically high" youth suicide rate, and Northland's contribution to the statistics, she's about to come home to "raise some decibels" for a good cause.

Kahui, who has worked at the Henry Rongomau Bennett Centre for five years, has teamed with Riders Against Teenage Suicide (RATS) to launch the Green Ribbon Ride Campaign, staring in the Far North.

RATS will ride their Harley Davidsons into Kaikohe for a powhiri and family day at Lindvart Park on February 22.

This will be the first of four campaign events, but with particular significance in Northland, which for the last two years has recorded the highest rate of teenage and youth suicide, and suicide in general, in the country. A total of 541 'suicide-related deaths' were recorded nationally last year.

The aim will be to promote iwi organisations and service providers that relate to youth suicide, including DHBs, Maori health services and the police.

"Youth suicide is a topic our people have problems addressing," Kahui said.

"Our rangatahi are our future, and they need to know there are people out there to help them when they are at their most vulnerable. Our greatest desire is that this campaign will show youth and their families there is support available.

"We're losing too many of our young people. We're losing generations. If we aren't proactive as adults, as mums and dads, we're not going to have the Mike Kings and Nanaia Mahutas left.

"We might not save everyone, but if we can save one person that's better than none. It's about standing up for what you believe in, and inspiring others to talk about it, because it's not okay to go that way.

"It's about letting people know who is out there.

"We want as many people as possible to support the kaupapa, put up gazebos and hand out information about their service, so our whanau and rangatahi know the support services available.

"It's about time our people realised suicide is not going away, start talking about it and stop denying it's happening, because when it does come out, it hurts and affects too many people."

Any service or organisation interested in being part of the day, or whanau and marae who want to set up food stalls, can contact Kahui at green - ribbon1@hotmail.com.