What gives you hope?

Tania | Whāingaroa

Tania shares the joy and connection she finds in giving, sharing kai, and bringing people together with aroha.

“I was born and raised and went to school here in Whāingaroa. This is my home. Home, sweet home. I cherish Whāingaroa because I love helping people, I like doing things in our community.

When I give, I can see that people are happy in what I do for them. And when I see what I get back from them, I get a lot of pleasure when they thank me for what I’ve done.

I help out at the Trust Hospital for the elderly up here in Whāingaroa. We have, on the first Sunday and the third Sunday of each month, a crop swap here in Whāingaroa, held at the bowling club. So we bring items from the kitchen, items from the garden, and we don’t pay any money. It’s just a clear swap.

That’s overwhelming and really that joy brings to everybody as well. We’re sharing our kai, we’re sharing our knowledge, not only with Whāingaroa, but people from overseas. They’re all here to do that as well. The people on the whenua, the people that come together in love and harmony and the aroha that we give, that we give to everybody that comes here. It gives me hope. What we share, it gives me lots of joy and hope.”