If you are part of the small Mangamahu community, you're assured of caring neighbours, a caring community, many shared activities and cheerful company.
Community is big in this winding river valley, where the residents see themselves as a cohesive village nestled in under high-peaked hills, with towering macrocarpa trees and
the background boom of the deep, slow Whangaehu River.
Last year, around Christmas, they knew they had a problem.
There were only four children enrolled for 2012.
That's when the school board realised they had to come up with a plan.
And they did.
They called a community meeting and asked every farmer to help by renting out any spare houses or cottages on their land. Board member and teacher's aid Tiffiney Firmin said she took over the renting of the houses.
We advertised the three houses in a newspaper, saying there were rural/country houses to rent for the right families.
``The rent was cheap but unfortunately we couldn't offer any work out here.''
Mangamahu is a 45-minute drive through winding but mostly good roads to Wanganui. Not such huge fun in the winter months but an absolute breeze in the summer according to the locals.
``You get used to driving sometimes in hard conditions, so you get used to it.''
Mrs Firmin interviewed all the applicants and chose the families for the houses.
By the time school started, she had managed to double the school roll plus one.
So now there are nine children sitting on the mat at Mangamahu School.
Many schools say they are like a family, but Mangamahu really is with just nine students.
Students who, at the end of each day hug their teachers Mrs Katrina Cook and Mrs Firmin and say they look forward to seeing them again tomorrow.
Even lunch time is a sit-down with the grown-ups for these children.
Mrs Cook said it was good to have everyone sit around the table in the staff/art room enjoying their food and talking for a while before the children rushed off outside to enjoy a good after-lunch playtime.
Their playground is huge, with an adventure playground, a sand pit, five special chooks in a coop to chat to, a swimming pool, a few big trees and fields stretching into the far hills.
``There's a feeling of complete peace and freedom here we love, and the children love it. They learn well in this environment,'' Mrs Cook said.-->
