Maraenui in Napier is a tight-knit community known for its resilience and strong sense of togetherness. Despite facing various socioeconomic challenges, including limited access to facilities and opportunities, leaders within Maraenui have developed two new kaupapa to support their tamariki, rangatahi and whānau to be active. 

One is the M.E.K.E Initiative that provides free community exercise classes from a portable shipping container. The other is Shamrock Boxing, run out of a garage for tamariki and rangatahi keen to improve their physical fitness and mental wellbeing. 

Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa funding has supported the community to engage in physical activity that is accessible, achievable and affordable alongside other partners such as Eastern and Central Community Trust, Napier City Council, Oranga Tamariki and NZ Police.    

Both initiatives are proving hugely successful. 

M.E.K.E Initative

M.E.K.E stands for motivate, engage, konnect and empower and is the brainchild of personal trainer Levi Armstrong and his architect cousin Whare Timu.  

They brought their portable exercise pod to Maraenui post-Covid to help improve community wellbeing through exercise. 

“This is a low-socio economic community that needed a lift. We wanted to provide opportunities for rangatahi not engaged in education and employment as well as whānau from high-deprived communities,” says Levi. 

“We wanted to bring health and fitness to the people when the people can’t get to the gym or afford gym fees. It’s been transformational,” he says. 

Coven Ratima turned up on day one, keen to change his lifestyle. He never missed a day and dropped from 130kg to 96kg. 

It inspired Coven to venture down a health and fitness pathway. He has since become a qualified fitness trainer through the Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT) and now runs sessions from the Maraenui pod called Backyard Motiv8tion. He’s also a tutor at EIT delivering the level 2 and 3 health and fitness programme to aspiring trainers. 

“Our aim is to scale the M.E.K.E Initiative across Aotearoa. Coven has been an exceptional leader and has given us the blueprint to establish more pods and grow future leaders.” 

A new site has opened in Tāupo and there are plans to scale out to more communities across Aotearoa. 

The M.E.K.E Initiative is also part of a government-funded research project. EIT has undertaken a survey to assess the pod’s impact on the community. 

Findings will be presented to the International Indigenous Conference in Auckland in October and the goal is to secure funding to take pods into schools. 

“We want to use health and fitness as a vessel to engage with hard-to-reach whānau and motivate, engage, konnect and empower them to be the best versions of themselves.” 

Shamrock Boxing

Meanwhile, Shamrock Boxing is another initiative taking Maraenui by storm. It is also driven by a desire to foster physical fitness, mental wellbeing and personal growth. 

It was founded after the devastating loss of boxer Taka Burton’s son Shamrock to suicide in 2022. Through Taka’s grief he realised rangatahi needed a safe space to belong, to be themselves, find connections with others and learn through the vehicle of boxing.  

He and wife Amanda set up the gym that takes their son’s name from their garage and started a programme that offers a constructive outlet for young people, particularly those at risk or facing challenges in their lives.  

Shamrock has grown from an original group of 10, ranging in age from eight to 18, to more than 60 regular participants alongside a team of volunteers, coaches and mentors. 

Regular training sessions help improve their cardiovascular health, strength, and co-ordination. The programme also fosters mental resilience, confidence, and a sense of belonging.  

“The programme’s expansion reflects its success and the strong demand for such community-based initiatives,” says Amanda. 

“It’s a home away from home for many, with our open-door policy. We never want another child to feel there isn’t somewhere to go, someone to talk to or feel they don’t have a place to belong.” 

Amanda speaks of one young participant who joined the programme with low self-esteem and a history of behavioural issues. Through consistent training and mentorship, they transformed their outlook and behaviour. They became more focused, disciplined, and confident, eventually excelling in both boxing and their academic pursuits.  

“This story highlights the transformative power of the programme and its ability to change lives.” 

Shamrock’s success to date was recently recognised when the gym was announced as a finalist in the community impact category at the New Zealand Sport and Recreation awards. 

“That was a tremendous honour for us. We didn’t win the top prize, but the recognition validated the hard work and dedication of everyone involved,” says Amanda.  

Sport Hawke’s Bay community partnership adviser Kelly Sim loves what both Levi and Whare, and Taka and Amanda, are achieving in their community.  

“You can see the passion they have for the overall wellbeing of others in the mahi they do. 

“Sport Hawke’s Bay especially loves the fact that both these initiatives help to remove barriers for the Maraenui community to be active, as well as bringing whānau together in their health and wellbeing journey.”