A man sits as he is given a Covid-19 vaccination by a woman in a protective mask and glasses

The Tiaki
Vaccination Drive

In 2021, more than 13,000 disabled people were registered in our service, and 50% of them lived in South and West Auckland. As two of the most COVID-prone regions in the country, we were concerned that disabled Māori and Pasifika in these areas needed targeted support to get vaccinated – concerns which were shared by many members of our disabled community.

Through data-matching and a partnership with NRHCC, we identified around 1,500 disabled Māori and Pasifika in South Auckland who may be in need of vaccination support. We reached out to as many as 30%, listened to their concerns, and helped them make an informed decision. We also supported more than 80 home visits, to make it as easy as possible for disabled people, their whānau and aiga to be vaccinated.

A team effort

A wide cross-section of agencies put in an amazing amount of mahi. And one by one, whānau by whānua, aiga by aiga, the vaccination rates for disabled Māori and Pasifika across Auckland began to rise.

Kaikaranga was proud to play our part in protecting disabled people against COVID. As we move forward, we’ll continue to call upon everyone in our community to come together, and drive better outcomes for disabled people and their families.

Angela and Sophia’s Story

Angela’s 12-year-old daughter, Sophia, was extremely anxious about being vaccinated. But because Sophia often takes longer to recover from illnesses, the risks of COVID-19 were a real cause for concern.

Angela knew that needles and crowded places made Sophia very nervous, so she was worried about bringing up the idea of vaccination. But Angela was surprised to find that Sophia would agree to being vaccinated – as long as she could do it from the comfort of her own home.

“Never underestimate your 12-year-old’s ability to make informed decisions for themselves.” – Angela

Angela found out about Kaikaranga’s vaccination initiative, and contacted us to learn more. She was relieved to learn that when Sophia was ready, she could just give us a call, and we’d take care of the rest.

“We rang and discussed our needs, it was easy. Kaikaranga organised a nurse to get in touch with us and the nurse talked us through it.” – Angela

On the big day, the nurse took the time to explain everything to Angela and Sophia. Sophia was scared at first, but the nurse gently helped her through the process. And after bravely facing her fears, she was successfully vaccinated against COVID-19.

“I felt freaked out at first. The nurse said let’s try again. I did it and everyone was proud of me. I got some more screen time as a reward!” – Sophia

Let’s connect

To talk to us about new partnership opportunities, reach out to our development team.

developmentteam@kaikaranga.org.nz