Shama is a community organisation that works with ethnic women and families to provide both a regional response for domestic violence and a national response for sexual violence, which includes a crisis response service, long term therapeutic support and prevention work through community development.

While Shama provides specialist support for those experiencing violence, it takes a holistic approach to the needs of women, their children and their families. Shama is a community hub for hundreds of ethnic families in the Hamilton area. They provide peer-to-peer support for ethnic women through the running of regular classes such as English, crafts, cooking, and the parent support programme.

The primary objective of Shama is to be a vibrant, sustainable social service organisation that provides culturally appropriate support, advocacy, and programmes to ethnic women, their children and families, and to be a source of strength and empowerment for ethnic women of all ages. Shama aims to support the development of a truly multi-cultural New Zealand where all women from ethnic minorities would be fully integrated into New Zealand society, achieve their aspiration as Mana Wahine, free from fear of violence and discrimination, and to be recognised as valuable contributors to their local communities.

You can get in touch with their team via their website www.shama.org.nz, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ShamaEthnicWomensTrust. Or email info@shama.org.nz, or phone 07 8433810