Healthy Life Team Celebrates Expansion and Community Impact

The Fono's Healthy Life service has had a busy and successful quarter, with the team growing to 30 staff members and forming new partnerships that are making a real difference for Pacific families across South Auckland. 

This growth has opened up new opportunities for the service. A major milestone saw the Kahu Taurima programme move into a new base in Papatoetoe alongside NIU Life Midwives, creating natural connections that benefit families using both services. The team also hosted their first antenatal class in Manukau, giving first-time Pacific parents vital support during pregnancy. 

Honouring 12 dedicated parents who completed our first Fono Pasifika Antenatal Class

New partnerships with Plunket and Moana Connect through Tapuaki training have brought together people passionate about supporting Pacific families from pregnancy through early childhood. These relationships are expanding accessible health and community services throughout South Auckland's Pacific communities. 

Celebrating the real impact our Enua Ola programme has on the wellbeing of members and their families.

The service's community connections were evident at the annual Enua Ola Celebration, which brought together over 350 community members in Rānui for a celebratory evening of shared kai and recognition awards for the Pasifika Outrigger Health Challenge. 

Six Samoan Methodist churches achieved a successful stop smoking rate of 97% amongst their 222 smokers

The official launch of The Fono's Smokefree services in South Auckland was another highlight, marked by a special event with Hon Casey Costello, Associate Minister of Health. 

Community care continues through winter with Kahu Taurima's practical support

Throughout winter, the team continued practical family support through Kahu Taurima's partnerships with the Kindness Collective PJ Project and the Give a Kid a Blanket campaign, plus distributing baby essentials baskets for new mothers and babies. Community connection stayed a priority through events like My Baby's Village at Fale Samoa in Mangere. 

As winter winds down and the team looks ahead, one thing is clear: Healthy Life's expansion has been about deepening connections - being there for Pacific families in more ways, in more places, when it matters most.