Ngā Kākano Wāhine
An emerging social enterprise being developed in Ōtautahi Christchurch — creating pathways toward self-employment, entrepreneurship and business ownership for wāhine who have faced significant barriers.
He Aha Ai · Why This Kaupapa Matters
Why This Kaupapa Matters
These numbers do not define our wāhine. They show why different pathways matter.
64%
of women in prison in Aotearoa are Māori (2024).
Up from 62% in 2014. 75% of the March 2024 women's remand population were Māori. — NZ Dept of Corrections.
45%
of the NZ prison population is now held on remand.
Up from ~20% in 2014. — Corrections, Strategic Intentions 2025–2029.
20.0%
Māori women's underutilisation rate, March 2025.
Employment rate ~59.1% for Māori women, vs 67.6% overall. — MBIE, Māori Labour Market Statistics.
1.5×
Pacific peoples are at least 1.5× more likely to work in low-skilled labouring roles.
MBIE also identified ~4,100 self-employed Pacific people. — MBIE, Pacific & Māori Economic Development.
Potential already exists.
Opportunity allows it to grow.
Tō Mātou Moemoeā · Our Vision
Building the kaupapa through enterprise.
Ngā Kākano Wāhine intends to begin its commercial journey by becoming a stockist of selected Māori, rongoā Māori and kaupapa-aligned products. This supports existing producers while we build our own commercial foundation.
The long-term intention is for our commercial activity to help fund development of the wider kaupapa — rather than relying entirely on external funding.
Support Producers → Commerce → Build NKW Capital → Grow the Kaupapa
Te Ara Whakawhanake · Development Pathway
Phase 1 — Commerce
Support and stock selected Māori, rongoā Māori and kaupapa-aligned producers.
Phase 2 — Build NKW Capital
Build the commercial foundation required to develop the wider kaupapa.
Phase 3 — Rongoā Nursery
Long-term vision to establish an NKW rongoā nursery in Ōtautahi.
Phase 4 — Business Education + Practical Experience
Future partnerships with recognised tertiary and business education partners, alongside practical experience.
Phase 5 — Business Pilots
Wāhine develop and test business ideas in a supported environment.
Phase 6 — Independent Enterprise
The ultimate goal — wāhine building sustainable businesses of their own.
Te Rongoā · A Future Nursery
Growing something of our own.
Our long-term vision includes establishing an Ngā Kākano Wāhine rongoā nursery in Ōtautahi Christchurch. In time, the nursery could support plant propagation, regeneration, practical learning, enterprise development and future NKW products.
This is a future vision — grown respectfully alongside mana whenua, practitioners, kaumātua and knowledge holders, with tikanga at its heart.
He Kaihoko · For Producers
Would you like us to become a stockist for your rongoā products?
We are looking to partner with selected Māori and rongoā producers as we build our commercial foundation.
Tēnā koutou.
E noho ana au ki Ōtautahi.
Ko tēnei taku mihi ki ngā tangata whenua o tēnei wāhi —
ko Aoraki te maunga,
ko Waimakariri te awa,
ko Ngāi Tahu te iwi.
Ko Pirongia tōku maunga,
ko Waipā tōku awa,
ko Tainui tōku waka,
ko Ngāti Maniapoto tōku iwi,
ko Ngāti Kaputuhi tōku hapū,
ko Kaputuhi tōku marae.
Nō reira, tēnā koutou katoa.
Te Reta a te Kaiwhakarewa · A Founder’s Letter
Ngā Kākano Wāhine did not begin with a business plan. It began with a belief.
A belief that potential already exists. A belief that opportunity should never be determined by someone's hardest chapter.
I know how easily a life can be written off. I met the justice system at 13, and I was in and out of prison until I was 27. That is not the focus of this kaupapa — but it is the reason I believe in it so completely.
I have seen what happens when a person is judged by their worst moment. And I have felt what changes when someone believes in who you could become.
Ngā Kākano Wāhine exists to offer that belief to wāhine — through business, education, mentoring and rongoā — so they can rediscover the mana that was always theirs.
This is only the first seed.
The forest will be grown together.
Sonni Leigh Newton
Founder — Ngā Kākano Wāhine
Whakapā Mai · Connect