Nutritious kai and kōrero proved to be ka pai with tamariki from some of the region’s most remote schools.
As part of the region’s Manawakura approach to the Healthy Active Learning initiative, funded by Sport New Zealand, Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education, Whiti Ora are making their way around the coast delivering the kai workshops to support tamariki to grow up with positive eating attitudes and behaviours.
Last week Whiti Ora kaimahi (staff) travelled to the top of the East Coast to join up with Onepoto Bay based Manawakura Advisor, Shyla Taiapa, to visit schools and kura to deliver Ka Pai Kai workshops.
A Lunch Box Session delivered by Whiti Ora to Tolaga Bay Area School is what prompted the Ka Pai Kai workshop kaupapa. Since then, it has been delivered as far as Potaka School and Tikitiki School.
At Makarika school (located 14km south of Ruatoria) tamariki got creative in the kitchen and listened to kōrero (talk) about the Te Whare Tapa Wha model and how it related to kai and their growth.
Makarika School kaiako Cali Morice said “It was a great opportunity for our tamariki to put manaakitanga in action and explore new healthy kai options that were easy to make. To the point where we had round two of this kai the following day made independently by our own tamariki.”
Three kai sessions took place at Te Waha O Rerekohu Area School in Te Araroa, ranging in ages from Year 1 –8. Tamariki and rangatahi learnt about vitamins, minerals and nutritious kai, and how they support learning and development.
Rerekohu School kaiako Lisa Rudland said “We’re so lucky to have Koka Shyla, Koka Kate and Koka Tracey from Whiti Ora come along and share their knowledge about nutritional eating and how to look after our bodies and mind. We’ve got some future budding Master Chefs!”
In 2022 the Ka Pai Kai workshops will continue along the coast and will include a more whānau based approach by including whānau vs. tamariki in a Master Chef challenge initiative.