International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2023

QandA with Lisa Kahu

Māmā and Pēpi Kaiāwhina, Te Tai O Marokura, Health Social Services

Who or what inspired you to study science / technology?

My passion for learning has been lifelong and in my high school years, I decided I wanted to study law. My dad in his infinite wisdom sent me to volunteer at Tai Tokerau Legal Services after school and within the first three months I realised law was not for me.

Hauora was something I understood from a very young age I became a māmā very young and living in a rural community with no choices in the services that supported me and my babies I wanted what cousins and friends had in the city, a choice that met my needs. I was lucky enough to be given an opportunity to train and be mentored by Miriama Kahu the founder member of Te Tai O Marokura Health and Social Services in Kaikōura

My journey began with the first conversations of kaupapa Māori services in Te Waipounamu providing Well Child Tamariki Ora contracts I was in the first training intake of Plunket “community Karatane” health workers who trained Kaiāwhina who worked outside of Plunket. Over the years I have added to my kete of knowledge with the sole purpose of providing quality services to the māmā and whānau I support here in my piece of paradise.

Why did you choose your particular field?

I chose my field initially because it interested me, and I wanted to be part of providing support to māmā and whānau at what I know to be a most wonderful, and at times, challenging time. Some 23 years later the answer remains somewhat the same but also different, so much of the world in hauora has changed and I am lucky enough to have had an opportunity to be part of some of those changes.

I am committed to being a voice for more change, for an equity lens to be the only lens we look through when we are considering health; for services delivered to meet the needs of that person and always be a quality service regardless of who you are or where you reside in Aotearoa.

What advice would you give to a young girl contemplating a career in health / science / technology?

Advice is something those that know me know I readily give, especially about my passion that is hauora! My advice would be the same as what I give my Kahu seven: find what your passion is and follow it, never be deterred because there are always solutions, you just sometimes have to know who to reach out to in order to find them. Reach out to every single opportunity you can as a rangatahi to experience first-hand some of the learning you think you might be interested in, it will stoke that ahi within you if that is your path! I have had some of my tamariki be lucky enough to attend wānanga at the University of Otago Hauora Māori Unit and Health Sciences Department while still in high school and it has done that for them.

What hurdles have you faced throughout your studies and career?

Hurdles can be also seen as opportunities I have decided. You will undoubtedly face challenges to achieve your dreams and the key I have found is to ensure you have support around you. Whānau first has been my strength and working within an organisation that has supported me to move well beyond what I thought possible.

I have always been asked how and why I worked and raised seven tamariki while my husband provided for us and I was not climbing any career ladder and my answer was the same now as it was then. I have five daughters and it has always been incredibly important to me that they see in practice that their dreams or passions do not have to stop when they became a māmā. They have options and support to continue on their mahi path if that is what they choose. Now that I am an Aua to my three moko, I am blessed to be able to put that into practice by supporting my daughter and son-in-law.

What’s the best thing about working in science / technology?

Serving our people, seeing and experiencing alongside women, pēpi and their whānau the journey from hapūtānga into parenthood and supporting them to understand the wonder and joy that is growing an amazing human. Seeing health gains and the pride and mana that emanates from within when they acknowledge what an amazing thing they have achieved with change for their pēpi and whānau.

For our wāhine I have a deep belief that we have the answers to many of the questions and challenges we face when consumers of health services, so I have in recent years devoted time to being a voice for consumers of women’s and maternity health.

How does gender affect the work you do? Has it affected your career progression?

In my mahi there are few tāne who work in our space, most tables I sit around professionally are wāhine heavy! I don’t feel my gender affects anything I do within my mahi negatively, quite the opposite, I have lived experiences that mean I can connect with our women in a way I may not be able to otherwise.

As a māmā to the Kahu seven, a wife to my husband and Aua to my three moko I feel that I absolutely contribute to their houora journey by being part of the conversation for services that meet the needs of us as a people.