Kia Kotahi Ako
Spark students' solutions to a better future
About
IMPACT HIGHLIGHTS
- Flagship programme, We Share Solar, co-designed with a Te Ao Māori (Māori worldview) lens, reached 130 students in four schools and two kura kaupapa (Māori immersion schools) nationally and 60 adults across the Te Tairāwhiti (East Cape) and Wairoa regions.
- Catalysing energy sovereignty through securing USD$150k funding for a 50kwh solar and battery installation and community energy workshops with our partner Taranaki kura.
- Research conducted into rangatahi (young) Māori aspirations for renewable energy.
- Championing Te Pā Wānaga to realise their vision for a learning village and navigate challenging politics. Connecting and supporting them to win the global Zayed Sustainability Prize (USD$150k) for their Puku Mara composting project, which will support the health and wellbeing of over 1,000 community members. Watch “Can Māori Wisdom Heal the Land?”
Grow our flagship We Share Solar programme, with 4 new kura (schools) in Te Tairāwhiti (East Cape), enabling 400 people to build resilience to climate change in 6 kura and communities.
We are project managing a solar installation pilot (early 2026) with our partner kura in Taranaki which is projected to save over NZ $16,000 per year in electricity costs, while also providing additional funding for the community by selling energy on weekends and holidays
In collaboration with our new partners at Te Heru Māpara, we are working to accredit the solar suitcase programme and establish career pathways for rangatahi into renewable energy.
4. A new site for Te Pā Wānanga (Ōtautahi Christchurch)
Our team is continuing to clear policy roadblocks for Te Pā, provide advice and funding, and developing partnerships to accelerate their vision and the land purchase for their new site.
SCALING OUR IMPACT
- NZD $180k: our team to design and deliver programmes, accelerate long-term community change, deepen our relationships with partners, and share community stories and learnings
- NZD $100k: digitisation of the solar education programme to scale delivery
- NZD $100k: renewable energy career pathways, with job creation for rangatahi Māori
- NZD $50k: operating expenses (travel, training, office space, insurance, and subscriptions)
Reach out to: [email protected] if you would like to see further budget details or specific projects. details behind this budget and our vision or to get involved with our mahi.
Remember that for Edmund Hillary Fellows, philanthropic funding counts towards PRV points and we are happy to chat through this more with you.
*Note our budgets are indicative and will be adjusted to have the biggest impact. All donations made are unrestricted funding.
Our team
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Projects
Support the following initiatives from Kia Kotahi Ako.
Financial Contributions
Your yearly committment means we can focus our efforts on supporting community projects that will change the system and improve humanity and the pl... Read more
$0.00 NZD of $400,000 NZD / year raised (0%)
Your recurring monthly donation means we can focus our efforts on supporting community projects that will change the system and improve humanity an... Read more
$0.00 NZD of $400,000 NZD / month raised (0%)
With your donation, we can kick-start and incubate more initiatives tackling climate change and improving health and wellbeing through education an... Read more
$133,018.59 NZD of $400,000 NZD raised (33%)
Kia Kotahi Ako is all of us
Our contributors 15
Thank you for supporting Kia Kotahi Ako.
Sarah Grant
$10,001 NZD
huia lambie
Te Waiora Wan...
Joanne McEachen
$30,000 NZD
Satya Kumar
$30,000 NZD
Richard Bodo
$21,000 NZD
Homai School
$17,860 NZD
Anonymous
$10,000 NZD
Jeff Schlichting
$5,000 NZD
Tim Derrick
$5,000 NZD
Ronald Mahabir
One-off donations
$5,000 NZD
Heather
One-off donations
$500 NZD
Connect
Let’s get the ball rolling!
News from Kia Kotahi Ako
Updates on our activities and progress.
December Update 2025
Who’s In the Waka? Building the Future of Education—Together
Kia Kotahi Ako - Impact Report
Budget
Transparent and open finances.
Credit from Ronald Mahabir to Kia Kotahi Ako •
Credit from Frederique Irwin to Te Ara Rangatira •
$249,264.20 NZD
$260,873.76 NZD
$11,609.56 NZD
$5,000.00 NZD