About us
Founded in 1951, Te Ropu Wahine Maori Toko i te Ora (Maori Women’s Welfare League Inc.) is the only national charitable Maori Womens Organisation in Aotearoa. Since the League was founded, it remains principally concerned with the wellbeing of Maori women and their whanau.
There are over 130 peka (branches) in Aotearoa that are the foundation of the League. In addition, there are peka in Australia, one each in Perth, Northern Queensland, New South Wales and Gold Coast.
Members work at the grass roots level with whanau, hapu and iwi, and across different sectors of Māori society. They are essentially voluntary and have first-hand knowledge of the needs of women and their whanau.
“Tatau Tatau” is the motto of the League. Our motto stands for working together as an organisation, to enable and empower Māori women and their whānau to follow and achieve their aspirations.
"If I dream alone I can achieve something, but if we all dream together, we can achieve more"
Te Puea Herangi
Who are we?
We are nannies, we are mothers, we are sisters, we are daughters.
We are old, we are young (We are old and think we're young too.)
We are doctors, lawyers, teachers, students, gardeners, chefs and business owners.
We are everyday women, who are united by a common cause. To connect to our communities, to uplift and encourage, and to support and develop all Maori women, their whanau and Aotearoa in general.
What do we do?
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We advocate for Maori women and their whanau
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Promote and support Maori women to find their voice and use it
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Develop partnerships with other organisations who align with our goals
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Engage in positive initiatives
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Advocate for indigenous women all over the world
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Hold the government to account to uphold the Treaty of Waitangi
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Believe in the potential of us all