A Marae collective in Tāmaki has donated over 30 decommissioned phones from Auckland Council, to help local Marae in their efforts to check vaccine passes as part of the government’s vaccine mandates for public facilities.
Whether we like it or not, this is the time that we are living in so if we can make it easier for Marae to do this then we will," says Co-Chair of Te Kotahi a Tāmaki Marae Collective Kimiora Raerino.
This is only one of the many projects that the Marae Collective have been a part of since they began their voluntary mahi in 2018 – with only 8 Marae on board. Three years later and there are now 26 Auckland Marae that are a part of the collective and 41 within the inner communication circle.
“With the help of Foundation North, MSD, and Auckland council we've had laptops donated, and even Air New Zealand donated around 1,000 of their lap blankets to us along with their Cookie time biscuits and we even got to provide hangi meals to kaumatua,” says Raerino.
Raerino emphasises that their main priority is thinking of ways that Marae can help each other without relying on outside organisations.
“Every single one of us are from Marae, so it's taking care of our own and this is something we have always done and during this crisis, it has become more relevant that Marae take a strong step forward in delivering services themselves.”