Reverend Hana Popea has been appointed a White Ribbon ambassador for the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Rev. Popea aims to create a church support network to help prevent and stop violence towards women and children bringing a Pasefika perspective to issues of family violence.
Born in Samoa, she studied at Samoa College. She has a Bachelor of Theology and Post Graduate Diploma of Ministry from University of Otago. She was ordained as a Presbyterian minister in 2005 and has been in parish ministry for 17 years. Hana has been minister at St Ninian’s Uniting Church in Karori, Wellington, since 2016. She is married to David Dell.
Rev. Popea says that churches have an important role to play in closing this gap. “We have many people in our churches who are already working and volunteering with organisations in their communities to prevent violence towards women and children. The challenge is to connect them with each other, with other churches, cultures and with White Ribbon, so they can access training and resources to share.”
The mother of one says her mission for the kaupapa of White Ribbon is to help others to find their voice, to break the cycle of abusive behaviour, to create an open talanoa process and to facilitate educational programmes towards healing, caring, and the restoration of healthy relationships.
She dreams of helping to make New Zealand a place where healthy relationships thrive, positive attitudes are empowered, and loving and safe environments are the daily experience for all women and children.
