Indigenous knowledge transforming education and environmental solutions from Aotearoa.
Enabling equitable and galvanising solutions.
“Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, ēngari he toa takitini.”
Mō Mātou | About us
Established in 2021, Kia Kotahi Ako (Learning As One) is an alliance of Edmund Hillary Fellows, activating education initiatives that will have the biggest impact for Papatūānuku (mother earth).
WHY? We have a climate crisis and an inequitable education system. We’re working to tackle both of these issues - together. We’d love your help.
“I orea te tuatara ka patu ki waho.”
Founding Trustees are Joanne McEachen (Waitaha, Ngāti Māmoe, Ngāi Tahu), Nikora Ngaropo (Te Rarawa, Tuhoe, Ngāti Porou, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahungunu) and Andrew Boyd. Joanne has over 30 years experience in education in Aotearoa and globally as a teacher, principal, at the Ministry for Education and as a government advisor in systems change. They are joined by leaders, Huia Lambie (Ngāti Mutunga) and Sarah Grant, bringing their rich experience in iwi and hapū development and global education.
Informed by indigenous wisdom, we connect the dots to have a bigger impact ‘as one’. The two koru in our logo represent the spirit of collaboration, to emphasise the “smooth flow” and harmony necessary to work together.
To be involved with this mahi (work); email us at contact@kiakotahi.org
How we are working
We believe in:
the intrinsic knowledge system of Te Ao Māori as a base for solutions
student-designed solutions to tackle environmental challenges
equitable educational outcomes
Our Values
Whakawhanaungatanga: thoughtful connections with others.
Kaitiakitanga: intentional care in the way we work - for ourselves, others and the planet.
Ako: learning in the spirit of reciprocity
The secret sauce: alert to new possibilities
We have a Climate Emergency and empowering learners to be change-makers needs to be central to education.
To create this future our strategic goals are:
accelerating education solutions for the environment
championing Te Ao Māori initiatives
weaving opportunities for policy system change
Ā mātou kaupapa | Initiatives
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He Pā Wānanga
We’re supporting the Nōku Te Ao Charitable Trust to scale their highly successful whole-of-whānau education and wellbeing system.
Te Pā Wānanga is a proven, 21st century learning village that is nurturing, growing and empowering the next generation of Māori explorers, navigators and leaders in Te Waipounamu (The South Island).
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We Share Solar
We’re running the Aotearoa pilots of this hands-on STEM programme. Students take action on climate change and become the solutionaries of the future.
We Share Solar is a global programme which engages teachers and students through project-based solar education.
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AimHi Earth
We’re facilitating the adaptation of the AimHi Earth climate and nature course for Aotearoa with a kaupapa Māori approach.
AimHi Earth is the live, online school, transforming global understanding of climate and nature.
Kōrero | Stories
Watch the video of the We Share Solar pilot at Haeata Community Campus in Ōtautahi Christchurch.
For our second We Share Solar project in Aotearoa, we were delighted to partner with Orion NZ, the electricity distributor for central Waitaha, Canterbury and Ao Tawhiti school in Ōtautahi, Christchurch.
Tautoko mai | Support Us
Get in touch
We need your support to truly make a difference. Whether that’s financial, advocacy or through partnership: we’d love to hear from you.
Contact us for a kōrero contact@kiakotahi.org
Koha | Donate
You can support our work via Open Collective. Open Collective is an open-source, online fundraising platform for fundraising, and transparency for donors.
Or contact us to donate from the US through The Gift Trust.
