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Te Runanga of Kirikiriroa and Te Rauawaawa Charitable Kaumatua Trust have opened five new retirement houses in Hamilton in what’s part of a major housing push by the runanga.
Spokesperson Glen Tupuhi says the creation of the government’s social housing unit is creating opportunities for trusts like Kirikiriroa.
He says a lot of the impetus for the Moa Crescent Kaumatua Village comes from the Rauawaawa Trust, which harnesses the energy and experience of kaumatua throughout the country.
"They’re determined they're not going to be looked after and pampered they run their own programmes. They've got line dancing going rock n roll going they've got IT services going these are highly active people. What we have built, is we havent built a kaumatua village where people go and just work out their ultimate demise. Our kaumatua are fighting the greatest fight of the human race and its the fight against mortality and its the fight to preserve their independence for as long as they can, " Mr Tupuhi says.
Te Runanga o Kirikiriroa is also working with Waikato Tainui to build affordable homes.
Copyright © 2013, UMA Broadcasting Ltd
Image: www.facebook.com/Rauawaawa
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