Person of the Year 2017 Minnie Ratima is devoted to community needs

Minnie Ratima (left) with her nominator Megan Rose and Kevin Tamati when they organised a hui on the battle against synthetic cannabis. Photo / File

For Hawke's Bay Today's Person of the Year 2017, Minnie Ratima, the social work she is passionate about doing is nothing out of the ordinary.

It is simply the way it is — simply what she feels needs to be done and in that respect is more than happy to do it.

As Megan Rose, who has worked in with Minnie on the community social front and who nominated her for the award, said, "She has overcome many of the hurdles that she encourages others to conquer, and she has walked a path few would choose but the pain of her own experiences is without bitterness."

Such experiences, Ms Rose said, were instead used to gently remind others that they too were capable of breaking the cycles that threatened to bind them to a predestined future.

"She takes children into her home to keep them safe and fights to find a place for them in education when they are considered too difficult to teach by the school system," Ms Rose said.

"She takes them on hikoi to share time and experiences with people from different worlds to their own, reframing relationships with police, politicians and nature."

Ms Rose said Minnie's spreading of devotion to the community was remarkable.

Back in 2012 Minnie's world was turned upside down when the family lost their Percy Spiller Ave home.

It was of many which were torn down, and as yet not replaced, due to what was stated as earthquake risks.

To get 90 days notice to pack up and leave was hard to take, but like many others she simply had to take it — but she used the experience as a spark to try and help others who found their circumstances thrown into turmoil.

She became a social housing advocate, founding the Maraenui community's housing action team as she advocates for those who might otherwise become homeless.

"She has done so much for her people — particularly those struggling to find housing," Napier City councillor and Tu Tangata Maraenui Trust member Maxine Boag said.

"She was in a house that had to come down and that was stressful and traumatic."

While she had got another house, she was still "living on the edge" in terms of how long she would have it for, Ms Boag said, but her own concerns were set aside for working to reduce the concerns of others — across a wide spectrum of social issues.

She is a devoted mother and nan and a Maori Warden.

She has waged war against the destructive spread of synthetic drugs and meth use and is part of a devoted and thriving crew of volunteers at Maraenui's koha shed, Mokonui gardens and drop-in centre.

Minnie also spearheaded the development of a walk-in addiction centre for people to get the support they needed.

She was stunned when she got the call to say she had taken the award and paid tribute to Ms Boag and Pat Magill for their mentorship and support.

"They have helped me on the path to experiencing another way of life."

Minnie was also grateful to "so many other people", agencies and social services who did so much for Maraenui and the wider community wherever there was a need.

"I have learned so much and I like how I feel about myself now," she said.

"There was a time I would drink to become someone else — but that was not the real me."

When the housing crisis struck her and many others her initial reaction, and approach to it, was anger.

"But that did not help anyone — that did not create solutions.

"We started talking to people and we started to become involved in the decisions for Maraenui."

Ms Boag said Minnie was a woman who had been determined to make a change in her life and use that experience to make positive changes in the lives of others — so often putting their needs ahead of her own.

"Minnie is always looking on the bright side," Ms Boag said.

"I am so pleased she is getting this recognition."

She said what Minnie did would be an "absolute eye-opener" who those more comfortable in the wider community unaware of the "whole different world out there".