Tautokotia ngā whānau

As part of my 10 week boxing training camp, I would like to raise funds and awareness for Ōtepoti whānau refuge who have provided support and refuge for whānau in need since wayyyyy back. I grew up in a violent home, I remember a night when things between my parents got out of hand making it unsafe for my siblings and I to be in the home so my mum had to leave with us. With nowhere to go she turned to the then called womens refuge. I can’t remember the faces or names of the people who helped us, but I remember the aroha I felt and the reassurance that we were safe. I remember feeling my mums relief, watching her exhale like she’d just remembered how to breathe again. I was put in a tamariki programme run by the refuge too which really helped me grow and got me out of a volatile house. I’m passionate about raising awareness and funds for this cause so they can continue supporting whānau in need and I want there to always be a place mums can go when they have nowhere else.