Image by: Dale Gallagher
Kia hari te tau hou.
Even though we are almost at the end of February, this is our first update for 2021 so starting with happy new year seems appropriate. I feel a little sorry for 2021 as there are so many expectations for it to be better than 2020.
I hope everyone managed to have a restful break over the Christmas and new year and were able to get out and experience this wonderful country we live in, even if only in your own back yard.
Even with the uncertainty of COVID, we have decided to take on the year in a ‘business as usual’ mindset, with a backup COVID plan. This means we will be running the HIV Women’s Seminar on 18 June. This free seminar is open to all people. Read more about it, the back up plan and how you can register by clicking here.
The HIV Women’s Retreat, which is for women living with HIV only, is also scheduled to run this year from 18-20 June. Registration was opened earlier this month and we had 27 registrations within the first 5 days which highlights the popularity of this event and the need it addresses. For more information email info@positivewomen.nz
Positive Women Inc. has started on a couple of exciting new journeys this year. The first being the organisations commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and incorporating tikanga Māori into our work which honour the treaty and Māori. To help us, we have partnered with Borni Te Rongopai Tukiwaho from Taurima Vibes, on a two-year programme, to walk alongside us and help us steer our waka in the right direction.
Our second journey will explore the role Positive Women Inc. plays in the community in 2021 and going forward. This is particularly poignant as funding for HIV is diminishing and the changes in the science around HIV, which now enables people living with HIV to have the same life expectancy as those not living with HIV, and subsequently the support and educational needs, are changing. We will be holding consultation workshops with our members and stakeholders over the next 6-10 months to gather perspectives and recommendations to help guide us. Watch out for workshop dates coming up soon. We hope you will join us on this journey.
Please enjoy reading the rest of February’s updates and we look forward to catching up with you through our newsletters, events and/or workshops.
Kia tūpato
Jane Bruning
