Painga Project

“It’s changed my whole life.” 💚

When Maggie stepped onboard Celia at WELLfed in Porirua, she had never had her vision tested. Cost, access and not knowing she needed one had all stood in the way.

She discovered she needed glasses full-time. Now the debilitating migraines she’d been living with are gone, her driving has improved and, in Maggie’s words, “My vision is like high definition.”

Maggie’s story is one of many highlighted in this RNZ article looking at just how inaccessible eye care can be in Aotearoa, and why taking accessible, affordable eye care directly into communities matters.

Thank you to Anya Fielding and RNZ for shining a light on the barriers, and on the difference removing them can make.

Read the full story here - https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/health/1511111/it-changed-my-whole-life-free-tests-glasses-offered-after-survey-finds-eye-care-inaccessible

This is why we do what we do. 💚

Thank you Flat Bush School for such incredibly kind words. It’s always a privilege to be welcomed into your kura and to see glasses heading onto the faces of tamariki who need them.
From that first vision screening, through a full optometry appointment onboard Celia, to choosing frames and finally having their new glasses fitted, this is what Equity at the school gate looks like.

And seeing the excitement when those glasses arrive never gets old.

Thank you for trusting us with your tamariki and for being such a wonderful school to work alongside. We love being part of your Flat Bush whānau. 💚



https://www.facebook.com/fbsforever/posts/pfbid0y2qVwHrNHd3QQC97ezC4PE3n3xyMd1Jh1LiyEwAQ1z6jrgybotuSQkgZ2uNEqDaEl

Huge thanks to OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation for adding three new frames to their worldwide range especially for our tamariki. 💚👓

And it looks like there’s already a clear favourite! The new pink frame has quickly become the go-to choice for tamariki at our Whānau Manaaki Kindergartens. 🩷

Glasses that help tamariki see clearly, but that they’re also excited to put on and wear. That matters too.

Thank you OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation for continuing to support our mahi and helping us put glasses on faces.

A whole lot of warmth, thanks to some very generous people. 💚

We’re so grateful to Louise Willis and the wonderful team at Franklin Law Papakura for collecting PJs for our tamariki.

It was an absolute pleasure to deliver them to Edmund Hillary School, where they were blown away by your generosity and incredibly grateful for the support for their tamariki.

Thank you, Franklin Law, for once again getting behind our mahi and showing what community looking after community can achieve. 💚

Your refuel stop can help tamariki see and hear. 💚

If you’re passing through Z Kingsway Papakura, don’t forget to grab your Good in the Hood token and pop it in the Painga Project box!

Every token helps us receive a bigger share of the funding available, supporting the hearing and vision mahi we provide for tamariki in our local schools.

It takes just a few seconds to vote, but all those little tokens add up to something pretty special. 👀👂💚

Thanks for getting behind us, Papakura!

From South Auckland to Malaysia. 💚

On Thursday we welcomed Nashrah and Rafidah from Malaysia to Weymouth Primary School, alongside Dr David Welch from the University of Auckland, to spend some time with us and learn about the Painga Project hearing screening programme.

The Malaysian Government is exploring the development of a childhood hearing screening programme, and the visit was an opportunity to see our mahi in action and talk about what we’ve learnt from working directly in schools, particularly how we reach tamariki who can be missed by existing screening pathways and what happens after a concern is identified.

With Celia onsite for the day, we were also able to share our vision pathway, from school-based vision screening through to comprehensive optometry appointments onboard our mobile clinic and the follow-up care that gets glasses onto faces.

There was plenty of conversation about screening, access, follow-up and the importance of making sure identifying a hearing or vision concern actually leads to the care a child needs.

A big thank you to David for bringing Nashrah and Rafidah out to spend the day with us, and to Weymouth Primary School for allowing us to share the mahi happening right here at the school gate. 💚

Glasses have been heading out to tamariki this week!

A huge thank you to OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation for getting them made and back to us so quickly, helping us turn an eye exam into clear vision without the long wait.

Because finding a vision problem is only the first step. Getting glasses onto faces is where the difference is made.

We’re thrilled to have been selected for Z Energy’s Good in the Hood again this year!

If you’re heading through Papakura, pop into Z Kingsway, grab a token and vote for Painga Project. Every vote helps support the mahi we’re doing right here in our local schools, removing barriers and helping tamariki see, hear and fully participate in their education.

Fill up. Vote Painga. Help us keep creating equity at the school gate.