May 30, 2022
Sailor the Pufferfish gets Māori makeover
There’s a new resource to help whānau Māori understand and deal with asthma.
Sharon Pihema, the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation’s Māori liaison officer, says one in six Māori have asthma, and it affects not just health but education, with tamariki having to take school says off because of attacks,
The foundation has now released a te reo Māori version of its highly effective Sailor Digital Classroom, which teachers primary school children the essentials of asthma care through the adventures of Sailor the Pufferfish and his friend Jelly.
“It starts with growing that understanding and awareness around what exactly is asthma, how do the medications work, what are our triggers and what to do when someone is having an asthma attack,” Ms Pihema says.
The digital version of Sailor the Pufferfish grew out of the Covid lockdowns when students had to stay at home.