Women's Refuge in the Auckland suburb of Mangere has started delivering cooking and gardening lessons to help women provide for themselves.
Te Whare Marama is looking for volunteers to help deliver the courses, which were introduced about six months ago.
Up to six whanau stay at the Mangere centre at a time, and about half of them are Maori.
Refuge co-ordinator Christina Teikamata says many Maori women come into the centre from poverty and teaching them skills to cook, budget and grow their own food can help them better their lives after they leave.
Te Whare Marama also needs every day items for the kitchen and the garden, and clothes and shoes for children, she says.
