Around the world there are many people, including children, living with disabilities. According to The New Zealand Disability Survey (2013), 11% of NZ’s children aged 0-14yrs were found to be living with a disability, and 53% of the disabled community had more than one type of disability, with learning difficulties affecting over half (53%) of children with special needs. There are over 95,000 children in New Zealand alone living with special needs (Statistics New Zealand, 2013), and this number continues to grow as more children are welcomed into the world. While many support organisations have been founded to help these children, there is always more that can be done. 

The Haakaa Foundation aims to provide financial aid for programmes and events that support children with special needs and their families in order to provide them with greater opportunities for enrichment and inclusivity. Living with special needs incurs many unexpected or extra costs that can burden families and put a strain on their daily lives, particularly when there is more than one child in the household and even more so when there are multiple children with special needs who need additional care. 

Many parents find themselves in the role of their child’s full-time carer, having to forgo traditional employment. While there are sometimes government assistance programmes to help families in these situations, there are often hidden costs and expenses that can pop up in the day-to-day running of the household. The Haakaa Foundation’s goal is to help break down as many of those financial costs and obstacles as possible to provide children with special needs the same opportunities as others and take the stress away from their families. Through pledging financial support, we aim to broaden the scope of opportunity for these families and their children, improve their quality of life and encourage them to embrace bright futures within their societies.