Since March, the Waikato Kai Challenge has seen steady momentum in its lived experience workstream. In partnership with ThinkPlace and Tuakana Teina, we are currently working towards a Memorandum of Understanding with a community partner to guide a collaborative storytelling project centred on food security and wellbeing.

The first community to participate has been confirmed, and early conversations are underway to identify a second. These lived experience insights will inform a set of co-designed visual storytelling products that highlight aspirations for a thriving, mana-enhancing food future across the Waikato.

Alongside this, our Kai Challenge Lead has been actively connecting with whānau, communities, growers, innovators, and system influencers across the rohe. This relationship-based approach is helping to uncover what’s working well in the local food system, where challenges remain, and what types of support could have the greatest impact.

We’re particularly interested in amplifying initiatives that reconnect people to whenua, remove barriers to access, and build long-term resilience. If you're involved in this space or know of kaupapa we should be aware of, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact Hera Denton at hera@envirocentre.org.nz