IndigiShare: Revitalise the Indigenous economy through the power of koha

IndigiShare: Revitalise The Indigenous Economy Through The Power Of Koha

Project 2021-07-20 12:34:26 +1200

Ko wai mātou - Who are we?

IndigiShare is a Māori social enterprise that was created to build economic resilience amongst whānau. Our members come from across Aotearoa with diverse backgrounds ranging from tech solutions, service design and getting sh!t done. We met up during Covid last year, at a time when many whānau and Māori businesses were struggling. Māori led the way during the initial response and showed that a tikanga approach is the best way to get through.

Our vision

• creating a system where tikanga such as koha is utulised to support and build economic resilience amongst whānau Māori.

• to enable Māori business to start, pivot or thrive through access to capital

• support our nature entrepreneurial spirit to grow

• community supporting community through koha

• developing relationships to support iwi engage with their own uri

• a platform dripping in equity and Tiriti o Waitangi

• creating a model whereby mana motuhake drives the kaupapa 

We are a kaupapa Māori action initiative but welcome support & contributions from our treaty partners and tangata tiriti too!

The problem, our solution

The current financial system does not work for us. While we already knew it, this was highlighted in the worst way possible during Covid.

The current systems are inaccessible, onerous, burdensome and discriminate against Māori.

Setting up business is hard, and the way many Māori structure their businesses does not conform with crown or institutional agency systems and processes. i.e., we often don't meet the criteria, we don't have GST registration, the whānau centered structure is considered an outlier, the current support pathways are difficult to understand and navigate.

IndigiShare aims to support whānau, through helping new and existing Māori businesses access capital through the power of koha.

What can I do to support?

Individual - donate to our campaign! Share our message with whānau and friends, follow our journey on Social media and sign up to our website registration to follow us post-campaign. 

Collective - consider pledging as a roopu or organisation (iwi, trusts, incorporations, NGOs, public sector), share message and follow our journey on Social media.

We've got amazing rewards from some of our small Māori businesses to recognise the contribution you've made. Showcasing these cool paakihi is at the heart of our kaupapa.

Our team

Maria Ngawati - a Mama of 6, she has always been committed to Māori whānau development. She is a small business owner herself and loves to help others achieve their dreams and goals. She has over 20 years in the tertiary and health sector and is currently contracting from home in Rotorua.

Anahera Waru - after 20yrs in Tāmaki Makaurau working in the public health sector, Anahera and her whānau returned to Rotorua to raise their tamariki ā-hapū, ā-iwi. She is a trustee, wharekai dishwasher and really excited by the vision and enthusiasm of rangatahi.

Rawiri Bhana - Rawiri is passionate about creating strong meaningful relationships and believe that through open, honest and clear communication we can all “win”. What are Mokopuna Decisions? They are decisions that take into account a long term view, the intergenerational view as opposed to the decisions making for the now. Even more so when ultimately these decisions have negative consequences for our future generations.

Serena Sarika Lal -. Serena is Fijian Indian Tauiwi from East/South Auckland. She uses social innovation/design as one of the main ways to address complex and interconnected problems. Her aim is to continually learn and participate towards my relationship as Tangata Titriti. This opportunity is about designing for Māori whānau as well as Papatūānuku in the centre.

John Shortland - a computer programmer with over 20 years of experience coding business apps in NZ, Australia, and China. Has an awesome attitude, checks his ego at the door & just gets on with the job. His passion is to tautoko (support) kaupapa Māori.

What will the funds be used for?

At $100k the donations will allow IndigiShare to employ a GM and a coordinator to oversee the project; grant and funding opportunities, developing operational and IT capacity in collaboration with the Board.

At $300k we can develop a standalone platform and structure to launch our waka.

At $500k we will pursue mana motuhake across all aspects of our kaupapa, including financial licensing.

The sooner we reach our targets, the sooner we can support our whānau.

What we've done so far

• hack the crisis

• created governance structure and established charitable trust

• active network of legal and financial advisors (Māori and other)

• surveyed 200+ Māori businesses and 100+ whānau Māori

• launched a social media offensive across multiple platforms

• engaged with and workshopped at the Firestation

• funding support from Poutama*

• developed and endorsed a 3 year impact strategy (how we reach outcomes) and technical roadmap (mechanism to launch platform)

• testing out of existing offerings i.e. Manaaki

After the launch

Check out our website to see our next move & follow our journey: indigishare.com

Last but not Least

He mihi aroha tenei ki nga tangata, nga paakihi, te whanau whanui kua tautoko i te kaupapa nei. 

Our most heartfelt aroha goes to those that have helped us on our journey so far, firstly though, to our Kōka Tuini Ngawai for her timeless waiata, tōna ōhāki ki te motu - 'Tō aroha'.

Here are our mihi, in no particular order:

Adam and the team at Kahui Legal, Jane Healey, Chanz Mikaere, Keri and Ty at Okareka Oro who did our audio for our video, Five and Dime (whoop whoop!) and the incredible videography and production skills of Shadoe and Jono, our whanau (actual Koro and Kuia, Aunties, Uncles, cousins, tamariki and friends, Te Pa o Ohinemutu), Te Ahu Paenga (video singing talent), Linda Moana and Kelly Davis of MTS, Marissa Balle at Grounded Cafe, Ranui Maxwell of The Village Caterer, Tessa and Marsh of Tesha's coffee, Lynda Macgregor of Lynda's Kai Love you and our other original team members, Christina Leef and Manu Caddie. Lastly, to our own whanau that lift us up to carry this kaupapa through, mo koutou enei mahi, me nga uri whakatupu haere ake nei #MokopunaDecisions - we love you all <3 

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