2023 Grant recipient: Hope Rising Farm Charitable Trust

After input from its donor members, the Waikato Women's Fund provided a $2,500 grant in 2023 to this wonderful charity that supports vulnerable youth and women to gain valuable life skills by partnering with friendly horses and through a series of wellbeing programmes.  

Hope Rising Farm Charitable Trust is based on a small farm in Ngaaruawaahia. It aims to strengthen self-confidence and self-esteem, giving participants a sense of pride, empowerment and achievement.   

Rachel Ralph, Founder and Trustee, Hope Rising Farm Charitable Trust, explains: “Vulnerable children, youth and women from all walks of life come through our programmes, and many have had life-changing experiences. Our five part-time paid staff, and our Board of Trustees are passionate about the difference that we make in the lives of our students.”  

One or two participants are partnered with a mentor and a pony, for two hours over 10 weeks during term time. No prior horse experience is required, and activities vary depending upon the skills required for each individual, but all sessions include hands on age-appropriate farm tasks and horse time. Many students arrive here after they have tried most other conventional ways of help.

Rachel adds: “We aim to support waahine and tamariki to live lives filled with hope, and to equip them with some life skills to make a difference in their own lives, their relationships with friends and whanau. Empower a women and she can empower her whaanau and then her community.

“The grant from the Waikato Women’s Fund was hugely appreciated and we thank members for their support!”

Find out more at: www.hoperisingfarm.org.nz or contact admin@hoperisingfarm.org.nz