Te Whare Tiaki Wāhine Refuge

10/09/2026

Last week we had the absolute pleasure of hosting Maia and Veronica from AWC, who came down for the Digital Hate, Real Harm symposium, a national kōrero on online misogyny, how it shows up, where it intersects with other forms of gendered violence, and what can actually be done about it.

While they were in town, they carved out time to sit with us here at Te Whare Tiaki Wāhine Refuge kanohi ki te kanohi, kai ki te ringa, we shared kai, shared stories, and compared notes on the mahi we’re all doing to keep wāhine and tamariki safe.

Different regions, different challenges, same kaupapa, and always more to learn from each other.

Ngā mihi maioha to Auckland Women's Centre for the connection and the company. We’re looking forward to more of these exchanges 💜

06/09/2026

Hari Rā Pāpā 💜 To our māmā carrying both roles, and to our pāpā, koro, and uncles showing up as role models for our tamariki, we see you.

And to those who find today hard, arohanui to you x

04/09/2026

Kia ora e te whānau o Porirua! 💛

Te Whare Tiaki Wāhine Refuge is so proud to share that a group of Year One Social Work ākonga from Whitireia Polytechnic have chosen to stand alongside us this Saturday, kaupapa in hand and hearts full, to run a Food Drive in support of the tamariki, wāhine, and whānau we walk alongside every day.

These ākonga know, just as we do, that when times get tough, it’s often the pantry that empties first. They’ve made it their mission to help take that worry off the shoulders of our at-risk whānau, because tamariki are our future, and no child should go without kai.

📍 This Saturday, 5th September, come down and join us! Check the poster below for all the location and timing details.

🥫 What to bring: any non-perishable kai, cans, pasta, rice, cereal, pantry staples, baby food, formula, whatever you can spare.

Anything you bring, big or small, goes directly to lifting up our whānau here in Porirua.

👍Can’t make it on the day? You can still make a difference by liking our page/following us or sharing this post. 🫶🏽

Nei rā te mahi to these amazing ākonga for choosing us, and to everyone in our community who continues to show up for our whānau. We can’t wait to see you there! ✨

28/08/2026

Ngā mihi nui to Andrea from Botanical Homeware 🌿✨

We’re so grateful for your generous offer of brand-new glass vases and storage tins for the whānau we support at Te Whare Tiaki Wāhine Refuge. These small touches of warmth and beauty mean so much when families are rebuilding their lives and creating a safe, fresh start.

Thank you for thinking of us, Andrea 💜

27/08/2026

Peep the baking paper though, so cute right. Good Bi***es Baking baking szn 🍪🍫 Whipping up choc chip cookies and choc cake for our wāhine and tamariki who come through our doors..

💜If you need safety and support, we are here: 📱 0800 733 843 ☎️ 04 237 7027 (Local)
In an emergency, always dial 111.

21/07/2026

“If you want to go fast, go alone. But if you want to go far, you’ve got to go together.”

Ruby Tui had the whole room in the palm of her hand yesterday at Bizfest Porirua 2026💜

She shared her story with so much heart, growing up between two very different homes, finding belonging and identity through rugby, and the journey to winning gold with the Black Ferns Sevens and later lifting the Rugby World Cup with the Black Ferns on home soil, in front of a sold-out Eden Park.

Her words stuck with everyone in the room: “If you want to go fast, go alone. But if you want to go far, you’ve got to go together.”

Ngā mihi mahana Ruby for reminding us all what it means to build our village 🤍

21/07/2026

BTS: Last nights antics getting everything ready before a big day of kōrero and connection at Bizfest Porirua 2026.

This year’s theme, “Build Your Village,” is all about doing business the Porirua way, where whanaungatanga and kotahitanga drive it all.

So much mahi behind the scenes to make today happen, grateful to be part of it. Ngā mihi nui to BizHub Porirua Porirua City Council Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira Inc for pulling it all together 🙌 shout out to Tania Carr who has PORIRUA HAS TALENT NZ coming up next month for the tamariki and rangatahi of Porirua ✨😍

14/07/2026

💜✨ We’re at it again! Our Street Appeal collectors are out and about at Paknsave and North City this week, come say hi, drop some coins, and help us keep supporting wāhine and whānau in our community. Every bit helps! 💜✨

13/07/2026

Massive mihi to our friends Ange, Stace, and Jo from Maraeroa Marae Health Clinic - MMHC for stopping by and showing us aroha. Keep up the awesome mahi 🙌✨

09/07/2026

Mānawatia a Matariki! 🌌

As Te Iwa o Matariki rises above Porirua, Te Whare Tiaki Wāhine pauses to welcome the Māori New Year alongside our wāhine, tamariki and whānau.

This year’s kaupapa, Matariki Herenga Waka, speaks to us deeply, the gathering of many canoes, many stories, many journeys toward safety and healing. We are reminded that no wāhine walks alone; we are bound by whanaungatanga, manaakitanga, and aroha.

We honour Pōhutukawa, who carries those we’ve lost, and we turn to Hiwa-i-te-rangi to hold our wishes for the wāhine and tamariki still finding their way home to safety and mana motuhake.

May this Matariki bring rest, remembrance, and renewed hope for every whānau in our care.

Mānawatia a Matariki ki a koutou katoa. 🌠

✨ Mānawatia a Matariki! ✨

📸 Frank Hopfler