A new wellbeing programme for women in Ōpōtiki has received a major funding boost after being selected as this year’s recipient of the Eastern Bay Women’s Impact Fund grant.

Aldean Williams from the Ihi Kura Wellness Centre was awarded $42,000 to help launch EmpowerHER, a holistic wellbeing programme focused on hauora, movement, mātauranga, connection and personal development for women across the Ōpōtiki district.

The funding will help purchase equipment and resources, support workshop delivery, and enable specialist facilitators to lead learning sessions as part of three EmpowerHER programmes planned for this year.

Williams said the impact of the funding would extend well beyond the participants, strengthening whānau and community connections.

“The funding we receive will help us empower women to be the best they can be, whatever that looks like for them,” she said.

“We’re focused on building resilience, strength and confidence, while creating a sense of belonging and connection.”

Administered by the Eastern Bay Community Foundation, the Women’s Impact Fund is a local giving circle where women pool their donations to create meaningful change in the community. Since its establishment five years ago, the fund has distributed almost $240,000 to initiatives supporting women and children throughout the Eastern Bay.

A key feature of the Fund is that donors help decide where the funding goes. Members gathered at the annual funding event last week to hear presentations from four finalist organisations before casting their votes.

Attendees said they were impressed by both the calibre of presentations and the leadership on display throughout the event.

“It is encouraging to see the leadership qualities evident in younger Māori women. The committee put together a great programme.”

Williams said the true impact of the funding would be seen in the lives of local women and families.

“The use of funds received will be life changing for our wāhine and tamariki. That will be part of our process, a veil lifting, coming out of the dark and into the light.”

Other finalists included Kawerau nutritionist Julia Kihi-Coates of Ngā Ahuatanga o Te Kai, who sought funding to deliver a series of cultural food sovereignty workshops, and Ōpōtiki’s Kirsty Mio, whose new Grounded programme would also focus on women’s wellbeing.

Additional funding was awarded to Esther Malcolm-Cowley for the Alternative to Violence Programme, an outreach initiative supporting women affected by violence through research-based skills workshops.

This year marked another milestone for the Women’s Impact Fund, with supporters raising a record $56,000 to invest in local women and children.

“This is women backing women at its absolute best,” said committee co-chair Heather Vail.

“Every donor plays a direct role in deciding where this support goes, and knowing we are helping launch programmes like EmpowerHER makes all our collective efforts so worthwhile.”

Applications for next year’s funding round will open in 2027. For more information on the Eastern Bay Women’s Impact.