Villagers who have been hired to help build community aspirations into reality

Left to right: Baillie Chadfield, Kahurangi Simon Jnr, Keita Puru

Whāngaia kia tupu kia puāwai

That which is nurtured blossoms and grows.

This whakataukī represents the importance we place on mokopuna ora. We imagine a world where babies are born into well families, who live in well neighbourhoods within well communities. We want a just and fair health system for all - where the conditions for whānau wellbeing are radically transformed so mokopuna can thrive.

Yet, current maternal care systems are fragmented and hard to navigate, often excluding the needs of māmā and pāpā. Siloed, top-down services have led to disconnection from the care whānau deserve, resulting in missed early interventions and leaving families to bear the burden during their most vulnerable times.

The Ministry of Health, Well Child Tamariki Ora Review Report 2020 says that “Many whānau are frustrated with unreliable service delivery, which causes some to disengage from Well Child Tamariki Ora services and providers. Therefore, we need to strengthen transition pathways for tamariki and whānau between providers, to improve continuity of care and early identification of, and response to, health needs.”

Lived experience is what drives real change. 

Keita Puru, Baillie Chadfield, and Kahurangi Simon Jnr, as young parents navigating pregnancy and parenting, got involved in the Hapū Māmā Village and Pāpā Village. Their insights, alongside many other whānau from across the region, informed the Hapū Māmā Village Insights & Recommendations publication. Within this publication, whānau imagined a maternal hub. Today, Te Whare Piringa is a reality - a co-designed maternal hub built with families to meet their real needs, where these parents now contribute their expertise as employees to turn shared aspirations into reality.

From Hapū Māmā to Kaitūruki

Baillie first engaged with Healthy Families WRR at a hapū māmā session just two weeks after giving birth. She recognised the importance of whānau having a voice in health services and knowing their entitlement to ask questions and seek the care they need. Today, Baillie works at Te Whare Piringa alongside māmā and whānau, turning her lived experience into support for others.

“After the opening of Te Whare Piringa, I was offered a job to work here alongside māmā and whānau. It is a full circle moment for my whānau and I.”

From Pāpā to Innovator

Kahurangi joined the Pāpā Village four years ago as a new father. The space gave him connection, guidance, and a sense of belonging. He identified a system gap: services focus on māmā but provide little support or guidance for pāpā during pregnancy and early parenting. Kahurangi is now a Rangatahi Systems Innovator, contributing to initiatives like Te Kākāno (for tāne aged 16–24), Rangatahi Leadership Camps, and co-facilitating Whānau and Pāpā Villages.

“Throughout most of the pregnancy process, a lot of the systems created are to support Māmā … But there’s actually nothing giving any type of guidance to allow Pāpā to grow in that space as well.”

Designing and Leading Whānau Spaces

Keita first engaged through the Hapū Māmā Village, sharing her experiences of hapūtanga and her desire for a maternal hub where whānau could feel connected and supported. Whānau felt disengaged from existing services and wanted a warm, welcoming space alongside access to practical support. Keita helped shape the design of Te Whare Piringa and is now its Project Coordinator, overseeing operations and initiatives such as Te Pā Harakeke (play and connection for whānau and pēpi) and Awhi Rito (young parents’ group). She continues to use the whare with her own whānau.

“My labour and delivery third time around was way easier because of the tools and the knowledge I was equipped with from the Hapūtanga Wānanga [kaupapa Māori ante-natal education], offered at Te Whare Piringa.”

Ripeka Davis, General Manager of Innovation & Research at Te Oranganui hired these three incredible people because she saw their relentless commitment to, and passion for, a better future for all mokopuna.

“These three phenomenal kaimahi not only bring their lived experience, which is the currency of co-design, they are also courageous in transforming the health system by co-creating a new reality.”