Mōkai Kainga Māori Trust is continuing its great work in the community by extending the existing māra kai project to the Sisters of Compassion Soup Kitchen in Wellington.

Māori and non-Māori are being encouraged to give back to the community that has served them so well. For the last three years the garden has been used by the community to grow vegetables and fruit. Mōkai Kainga CEO, Robert Te Whare saw the opportunity for families to grow their own fresh vegetables.

This has now extended to the Soup Kitchen in inner Wellington, where Mōkai Kainga workers and volunteers help at the Soup Kitchen run by the Sisters of Compassion.

For more than 120 years, the Sisters and co-workers have been committed to working together in the spirit of compassion, openness and integrity to meet the needs of the aged, the sick, and disadvantaged in our communities. The Soup Kitchens are one of many voluntary projects they assist.

Robert Te Whare noticed a high number of Māori, young and old regularly visiting the kitchen. He found out that most were beneficiaries, dealing with numerous challenges.

He proposed the idea that they contribute something back to the Soup Kitchen, by way of growing and donating vegetables. Robert gave them a 20m x 20m plot to grow their own vegetables. People voluntarily attend the gardens every Monday from 10am to 12pm.

Te Puni Kōkiri Māra Kai fund is just one of the many great contributors to the community response for the gardens, formally known as “The Block”, now dubbed “The Garden of Eden” in Owhiro Bay.

Just recently Robert helped organise a fundraising venture to purchase a 10’ x 6’ green house for raising seedlings for the Soup Kitchen.

Robert sees the community garden as a great way to get Māori to contribute to a good cause and give back to the community. He is amazed at the knowledge that these volunteers come with and what they are able to bring to the garden.

He also sees the garden as an opportunity to teach Māori cultural concepts to the volunteers, with the hope that they are able to share with others what they have learnt at the Mōkai Kainga māra.

Robert says the future for Mōkai Kainga māra is strong. Many local families as well as the Soup Kitchen are reaping the benefits of hard work that volunteers have put towards the project.

He believes this is one area where Māori can help each other to reach self sufficiency, something the whole community has embraced.