Painga Project

A special delivery to Mangapikopiko School, with 40 students receiving their new glasses after being seen onboard Celia.

A huge thank you to Gretchen, who always champions our mahi and advocates for her tamariki. Together, we’re removing barriers and helping more children see clearly and thrive at school.





mangapikopiko

We’re incredibly honoured to be part of the Auckland Festival of Photography with Equity at the School Gate, a social documentary exhibition by Francesca Brugnoli capturing the vision kaupapa of Painga Project.

This powerful series follows the journey from school vision screening, to full eye examinations onboard Celia, through to tamariki choosing their glasses - many for the very first time.

The exhibition explores what becomes possible when barriers to care are removed and tamariki are supported to fully engage in their learning.

Devonport Library
29 May – 14 June

Exhibition Kōrero & Celebration Event
Sunday 7 June
6:00pm

We would love to see you there, please email [email protected] if you intend on joining us for the event.




celia visioncare

A few big days of hearing screening with the Auckland University Audiology students joining us out in kura.

These days are always great - future audiologists getting hands-on experience within our school communities while helping identify tamariki who may be struggling to hear properly in the classroom.

The reality is many children don’t even realise they’re not hearing properly, and neither do the adults around them. That’s why this mahi matters so much.

Huge thanks to the Audiology students and to Holly from and and Janene Houghton for supporting our mahi towards equity at the school gate.

Celia, our mobile vision clinic, is out there daily helping remove barriers by taking full eye exams and glasses directly into high equity index schools.

As Sarah shared with , many tamariki don’t even realise they can’t see properly until they put on their first pair of glasses.

Read the full article here:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/health/594937/auckland-charity-painga-project-aims-to-boost-children-s-eye-care

Sarah chatted with Ingrid Hipkiss on RNZ Morning Report this morning about the significant and ongoing gap in eye care for tamariki, and why Painga Project created Celia, our mobile vision clinic, to help remove barriers and get glasses on faces.

Listen to the piece here:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2019034635/painga-project-aims-to-boost-children-s-eyecare

Thank you to Ingrid and the RNZ team for helping shine a light on this kaupapa and the realities many whānau face accessing care.

To all the māmā, grandmothers, aunties and mother figures holding it all together in ways big and small - thank you.

For the lunches made, the uniforms found, the appointments attended, the encouragement given, the worries carried and the endless love poured into tamariki every day.

We see you, and we hope today you feel celebrated and appreciated for all that you do.

Happy Mother’s Day from all of us at Painga Project 💚

We’re so grateful to for getting behind our kaupapa this winter 💚

Their Papakura and Pukekohe teams are collecting new PJs and black socks for tamariki in our local schools who need them most. These simple essentials make a real difference - helping kids stay warm, comfortable and ready to learn.

If you’re able to support, you can drop donations into:

📍 Papakura – 56 Broadway
📍 Pukekohe – Franklin Law office

Thank you to the team at Franklin Law and everyone contributing to support our whānau and tamariki across these communities.

It was special to have our friends Leslynne and Judy from Manaaki Tairāwhiti onboard Celia while we were in Te Tairāwhiti, sharing in the mahi and the vision for what this could look like for tamariki across the region.

Celia made the trip down to take this kaupapa on the road, connecting with the community and exploring what’s possible.

A big thank you to for checking Celia over after the long drive, we really appreciate the support.

Celia headed to Tairāwhiti last week, sharing what’s possible when mobile vision care comes directly into kura.

Sarah spent time meeting with potential partners and talking through how we can bring screening, full eye exams and glasses to tamariki across the region. The need is clear - around 30% of tamariki need to see an optometrist, and most of those need glasses.

Now it’s about building the partnerships to make it happen.

Read more in the NZ Herald article below:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/gisborne-herald/news/painga-project-visits-gisborne-pitches-celia-mobile-eye-clinic-to-bring-free-tests-to-children/C6KPMTDEHRCTBP6LBFDD27X2BA/





tamariki

What an exciting milestone for us.

Last week Celia, our mobile vision clinic, was onsite at Te Kura Māori o Ngā Tapuwae for her first full school of optometry appointments. Tamariki came onboard throughout the day for full eye exams with our optometrist all at school with minimal interruption to their learning.

This is exactly why Celia exists. Not just screening, but solutions. Full assessments. Glasses prescribed. Barriers removed. Learning supported.

To see Celia parked at kura, doing what she was designed to do, was a powerful reminder of how far this mahi has come.

Onwards - more schools, more appointments, more glasses on faces.