‍August 2026

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Friday 21 August marked a special milestone for Ngāti Porou Oranga with the opening of the new Nāti Pēpi hubs in Ruatoria – Te Papa Haumaru, Pou Atawhai and Te Puna Whaiao Midwives.

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More than just new spaces, the hubs provide a place where māmā, pēpi and whānau can come together, connect, seek support, share kōrero and feel comfortable in who they are.

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For Caroline Thompson, General Manager Nāti Pēpi, the opening represents much more than a new physical space. It reflects the wider kaupapa of Nāti Pēpi and the importance of supporting māmā and whānau in ways that strengthen their connection to their health, whakapapa, marae and communities.

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Nāti Pēpi is a whole movement. It’s about empowering our māmā through health promotion, supporting them to connect to their marae, and providing education and information.

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For Caroline Thompson , Nāti Pēpi goes beyond midwifery and clinical care. Central to the service are the relationships built with māmā and their wider whānau, helping the team understand what support is needed and ensuring clinical and non-clinical services can be wrapped around them.

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They are the ones who have the relationships with our māmā and the whole whānau. They help us understand what support is needed so we can wrap our clinical and non-clinical services around them.

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At the heart of this approach is whanaungatanga – building trusted relationships and remaining connected to the communities the team serves.

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You have to be able to build that relationship. Whanaungatanga is one of the most important things here on the Coast.

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Being based within the communities they serve also brings an important understanding of the people, marae and places that make up the Coast.

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We live in our communities and we are invested in the Coast. We know our whānau, we know our marae and we know our communities.

The new Ruatoria hubs provide a dedicated space for these relationships to continue growing – creating a place where māmā and whānau can feel welcomed, supported and connected throughout their journey.

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For Ngāti Porou Oranga, the opening represents an ongoing commitment to delivering services grounded in whanaungatanga, responsive to the needs of whānau and connected to the communities they serve.

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