The Rauawaawa Kaumātua Charitable Trust was established in 1997 by a group of Kaumātua that identified a need for Kaumātua (55 years and over) culturally focussed, appropriate and accessible health, social and community-based activities and services.
The overarching aim being to enhance the quality of life and well-being of Kaumātua. Today, Rauawaawa continues to operate as a unique Kaumātua governed and led organisation, serving Kaumātua primarily within the Hamilton area on a daily basis as well as throughout Aotearoa during annual events such as the Kaumātua Olympics.
Rauawaawa is a non-profit registered charitable entity with over six hundred Kaumātua registered on its database with 80 percent reported as Māori and 65 percent reported as female. The key focus of programmes for Rauawaawa are Health, Education, Welfare, Recreation and Housing.
Through the Whanau Ora navigation service, housing needs for Kaumātua have escalated dramatically and it is through collaborative partnerships primarily with Te Runanga o Kirikiriroa and networks such as Community Housing Aotearoa that we seek to meet those needs.