Te Puawaitanga ki Ōtautahi Trust

Make every sleep a safe sleep for pēpi: Haumarutia te moe a te pēpi

He taonga tuku iho o ngā tupuna.

Sponsor a wahakura and koha (gift) a safer sleep to a pēpi (baby) in our community.

The wahakura is a woven flax basket, that provides a sleeping space for pēpi. Wahakura are woven by specialised kairaranga (weavers) with harakeke (flax) that is locally harvested. The act of weaving harakeke is embedded with spiritual and sacred values that link to culture and tīpuna (ancestors). The wahakura is a taonga (treasure) which is embedded with Māori tikanga (customs). Wahakura promote the sustainable management of natural resources and are environmentally sustainable.

The wahakura is an innovative contributor to strategies aimed at reducing Sudden Unexpected death in Infancy (SUDI) in Aotearoa (New Zealand). In Aotearoa each year up to 60 babies die unexpectedly in their sleep (SUDI). Research indicates that many of these deaths could be prevented by using a wahakura as a safe sleep space. A wahakura enables a separate sleeping space in the parental bed providing reassurance and confidence for those wanting to bed share.

Wahakura enable the benefits of bed-sharing by keeping pēpi close, to enhance well being while also keeping pēpi safe. Studies show that pēpi who sleep in wahakura have twice the level of sustained breastfeeding compared to those sleeping in conventional bassinets. Breastfeeding makes for healthier babies and reduces the risk of developing chronic diseases later in life. Use of wahakura also promotes bonding between māmā and pēpi, a significant factor in the long term mental health and resilience of tamariki (children).

Wahakura have been promoted and distributed by Te Puawaitanga ki Ōtautahi since 2014. Te Puawaitanga ki Ōtautahi Trust is a kaupapa Māori provider of a range of health, education and social services that promote the health, education, culture and well being of Māori wahine (women) and their whānau. Wahakura are provided free to whānau and come with a mattress, wrap and bedding set, as well as practical instructions for safe use, this complete set costs $200.

You can sponsor a wahakura on your behalf or in someones else’s name. Sponsored wahakura can be provided to whānau with a message from you, if you wish, making this a truly personal gift. Every dollar we receive in sponsorship goes towards providing wahakura to pēpi in our community.

Te Puawaitanga ki Ōtautahi Trust is an IRD approved donee organisation and your wahakura sponsorship satisfies their donations criteria, meaning you can apply for a tax credit for amounts of $5 or more “where the payment is voluntary and there is no identifiable direct benefit to you or your family in return for making the payment.”