Give Partner case study: The Mums Clique

The Mums Clique supports women in New Zealand through Motherhood. They provide friendship and community, workshops, events and, access to food parcels and other resources. They also connect them to any healthcare or government services they require. We spoke to Angie Waiwiri, Warehouse Operations Manager about the impact Dignity has at The Mum's Clique.

What are the needs of the people who come to you?

This is quite a hard question to answer. We help everyone and anyone who comes to the charity. This could be a mum who is struggling financially or mentally. This could be a grandmother who has taken on her grandchildren.

• We have helped a mum who has triplet 2-year-olds with a toddler in the mix.

• We have helped a mum who has escaped a violent relationship and taken to a safe house and has a social worker contact us.

• We have helped a mum who is overwhelmed by parenthood.

• We have helped a father whose wife passed away and he was left with 3 teen daughters.

• We have helped a mum who has given birth to a stillborn.

These are just a few of the many we help - all with different needs to each other.

How many people do you help each year - has this increased with Covid-19?

In the 9 weeks of lockdown here in Auckland we have sent over 4,000 support boxes throughout the country. We have sent over 12,000 boxes over a period 1.5 years. Yes, Covid does increase these numbers.

What are the barriers for people accessing period products?

The barriers consist of women who have escaped a relationship with nothing. They are still in need of sanitary items but are unable to afford these. Also, there are those who are in these relationships and are not given money to buy these products. Thus leaving them to find whatever is in the home at that time.

When the women are unable to afford these products, due to finances. There are men out there who don't know what to buy for their daughters or what the difference is with each product. This goes for dads who share custody and stepdads as well.

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Thank you, Angie, Abbey and The Mums Clique team for all that you do and for aligning with Dignity.

More on The Mums Clique here