For Racheal Brown, home ownership has been a long-held dream which could finally be within reach thanks to a partnership between Ngāti Rangi and Ka Uruora.

Racheal returned to Ohakune in early 2020 after living in Australia for fourteen years. She originally came back for the birth of her whāngai daughter, a temporary visit that became permanent when the pandemic hit and after her mum had a stroke.

“I decided to stay home to take care of Mum,” she said.

“Since then we’ve all been living on top of each other in her house, the same two-bedroom place that I grew up in. This house has been our home for thirty years, but actually, it was never ours. I knew that I wanted a place we could call our own.”

When Racheal saw Ka Uruora promoting pathways for whānau to get into their own homes, she signed up straight away, taking her baby with her to class while she completed Te Uru Ahupūtea, the financial literacy course.

That’s when things started to click.

“It helped me with my finances, figuring out the difference between things I need and things I want, and planning how to spend my money,” Racheal explained.

“I’ve run my finances using their plan ever since, and I’ve done pretty well too, with my KiwiSaver and my own savings as well.”

Racheal has watched Ka Uruora’s work in the community, has seen what they are doing for other whānau, and slowly her belief has grown.

“Their positivity and the way they strive to put people in their own houses has been a big change for me,” Racheal said.

“Owning my own home felt out of reach, but then I see what they’re doing and what they have helped me achieve, I think, ‘if that’s possible for these whānau, then I’m sure I can do it too.’”