Te Kotahi o Te Tauihu Charitable Trust was set up in February 2021 by the eight iwi of Te Tauihu o Te Waka-a-Māui (top of the South Island) to advance health and wellbeing, alleviate poverty, ensure adequate food and housing is available and promote education and skills within the communities of Te Tauihu (the top of the South Island) and in particular our Māori communities.

Working collaboratively as part of the official Civil Defence Covid-19 response in Te Tauihu (the top of the South Island), we saw that a wide range of better solutions were possible in areas that were common to us all.

To continue this collaborative approach and to ensure we have a roadmap for the future, in February 2021 Te Kotahi o Te Tauihu Charitable Trust was formed by all eight iwi to realise our shared aspirations across four areas: Whāngai | Feeding our people; Tāwharautia | Shelter & Support; Whiwhi Mahi | Work & Training; and Whai Oranga | Holistic Wellness.

In addition to our core mahi, we will ensure our collective voice is heard and helps guide decision making in Te Tauihu, while also focusing on raising public sector cultural capability and capacity in use te reo Māori me ōna Tikanga a rohe in Te Tauihu o Te Waka ā-Māui.