A Bit About Us

Working Towards a Better Tomorrow

Toitū te Ao was established in 2020. It was identified that there was no dedicated organisation in the sector with a kaupapa Māori lens or worldview serving Māori and their whānau living with HIV.

HIV was first detected in Aotearoa New Zealand in 1984. Until the end of 2019, there had been 317 reported cases of Māori people diagnosed with HIV. Learn more about what HIV is, how it is managed and how it can be passed on here

The holistic approach for Māori for the wellbeing of ‘wairua, tinana, hinengaro, and whatumanawa’ in our current society is not being met. The inequities and microaggressions exist due to stigma, combined with Māori and other indigenous peoples having no voice.

Our Strategy

Te Roopu Whakahaere

Meet the Team

  • Ko Puketapu me Te Haokitahi ōku maungaKo Ngati Maru me Ngati Koura ōku hapuKo Rongowhakaata me Ngai Tuhoe ōku iwiNo te Tairawhiti ahau e noho ana.Tihei mauri ora!Bought up around the skirts of my kuia I was nurtured to embrace the wholeness of their wisdom and teachings of what it means, to be Māori in its purest core. Armed with that knowledge and understanding I embarked on a journey of self-discovery positioning myself in a place of knowing. Attaining my Bachelors in Bi-cultural social work enables me to advocate and support my people. With a background in teaching and a future in attaining my postgraduate in professional supervision enables me to stand confidently in the pakeha world, with a firm Maori world view.

  • He uri tēnei o ngā waka o Te Arawa, Tainui me Te Au O Tonga hoki. He Takatāpui, he ‘Akava’ine. He Nēhi pou tangata ahau. A Libran Earth Monkey born and raised in Rotorua. Geoff is a child of the 70’s, a teenager of the 80’s and now embracing his 50’s! A health promoter with the New Zealand AIDS Foundation for ten years. I work alongside Takatapui communities and people living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus addressing issues of stigma and discrimination. I am a registered nurse currently working within the mainstream general practice area focusing on better health outcomes for our Māori and Pasefika patients.

  • Talofa my name is Ciomarah Afele, and I am the HIV testing coordinator at Toitū te Ao. I have a deep commitment to providing support to our people living with HIV and their Aiga / Whanau. Testing is the first step to ongoing improvement for our people’s health outcomes.

    My work as the Testing Coordinator involves testing and finding innovative ways to reach our Māori and Pasifika communities to encourage them to get tested. There is lots of stigma and discrimination around HIV and I will work hard to break through those so that our Māori, Pasifika and al indigenous will feel comfortable, heard and safe. Their confidentiality is upheld.

    I have worked in the HIV sector for 6 years doing most of this work in Australia where I lived for 17 years.

    I have been peer support worker at WAAC (Western Australia Aids Council) for Transwomen who were newly diagnosed. I have served on advisory boards for NAPWHA (National Association of People Living with HIV Australia) also a consultant for Trans folk Western Australia for the legislation change for Transwomen who were incarcerated.

    Outside of work, my hobbies are Netball, Reading and anything to do with my family and friends. I enjoy seeing people strive and succeed in this crazy thing we call life. Nothing makes me happier than seeing people love, care and support their community so passionately as I do.

  • Tena Koutou, ko Christine Kokiri ahau

    Ko Te Aitanga a Mahaki, me Ngai Tuhoe aku iwi.

    No reira tena hoki koutou katoa.

    As part of operations of Toitu te Ao, I have a deep commitment to our core values of aroha manaakitanga, tiakitanga and whanaungatanga. I strive to help provide the understanding that is needed for Māori living with HIV and their whanau, through education research and advocacy.

    Implementing and maintaining essential systems and processes, including but not limited to Microsoft programs, emails, Teams, Zoom and Xero has also been part of my role at Toitu te Ao. Assisting in the building and managing of our website and other foundational structures within Toitu te Ao.

    Within Toitu te Ao I collaborate with our external stakeholders and allies to ensure that we align to our Strategic plan and uphold our kaupapa supporting our mission to provide a culturally appropriate mana enhancing care to our people.

    On a personal note, I cherish spending quality time with whanau and friends, enjoying good international period pieces, and sharing laughter. I’m dedicated to making a positive impact in the lives of my whanau and those we serve at Toitū te Ao, standing undisturbed in our world.

  • Rangi weaves the philosophies of Toitū Te Ao and the protections of Te Tiriti o Waitangi into our frameworks. Thus, ensuring Tika, Pono and Aroha in the development, quality and delivery of our programs. A defender of applied indigenous practices, she shares a passion for wholistic wellbeing and looks forward to a future of therapeutic jurisprudence. Rangi has a unique sense of humour, an infectious laugh and is committed to building a Better Tomorrow Today, for all mokopuna.

    “E kore tēnei whakaoranga e huri ki tua aku mokopuna!”

    My mokopuna shall inherit a better place than we inherited.

    Nā Kiingi Tāwhiao

Our network of allies