Auahi kore is a whānau affair for Rewhenua (left) and Gina Melody-Roore and their children Mataora (left) and Hinematariki. 

Six years ago Te Wānanga o Aotearoa kaimahi Gina Melody-Roore quit smoking and she’s now encouraging whānau and friends to follow in her auahi kore footsteps.

The Porirua-based Kiriwhanake business partner for Te Kei wants people who smoke to “think seriously” about themselves and the health of their whānau.

“Think about the things that are important to you. The ones you love. Those people who love you. Those were the reasons I gave up,” she said.

Gina’s commitment to the smokefree kaupapa inspired her husband Rewhenua to take on the smokefree Wero Challenge in 2014 and throw away the cigarettes for good.

Rewhenua - a former wānanga tauira on the waka ama course at Papaiōea in 2004 - is enjoying an improved fitness and general wellbeing since he kicked the smoking habit.

The couple’s saving of about $100 a week, which would have been spent on purchasing tobacco, is another smokefree positive.

“Back in my smoking days it seemed to be the ‘in thing’ to do but now I hear whānau say that the smokers are now the minority,” says Gina.

She is thrilled her tamariki Hinematariki (4) and Mataora (2) are being raised in a smokefree home.

Gina and Rewhenua from Marton, Rangitikei applaud the smokefree stance the wānanga took on June 22 and hope the proactive initiative encourages even more kaimahi, tauira and whānau to take up an auahi kore lifestyle.