Backing Local: Why Key Skills is Partnering with Kai Ika
At Key Skills Recruitment, we’ve always believed that successful businesses have a responsibility to contribute to the communities that support them.
As a locally owned and operated business, Wellington has backed us for nearly 20 years. Along the way we’ve been fortunate enough to work with thousands of local people and hundreds of local businesses. As we’ve grown, we’ve increasingly asked ourselves a simple question:
How can we use that success to make a meaningful difference in our community?
Earlier this year, we decided that rather than making that decision ourselves, we’d ask the people around us.
Through our growing Facebook community, we invited suggestions on local organisations, causes and initiatives that people felt were making a genuine difference and deserved greater support.
There were many fantastic organisations mentioned, but one name kept appearing again and again:
Kai Ika.
The more we looked into the organisation, the more we understood why.
What is Kai Ika?
Kai Ika is a remarkable initiative that rescues fish heads, frames and other nutritious parts of fish that might otherwise go to waste and redistributes them to whānau and community groups.
While many people are familiar with fish fillets, a significant portion of every fish is often discarded despite containing valuable nutrition and being highly prized in many cultures.
Kai Ika’s philosophy is simple but powerful: if a fish has been caught, it should be respected and used as fully as possible.
By recovering and redistributing these resources, Kai Ika is reducing waste, supporting food security, strengthening communities and helping reconnect people with traditional food knowledge.
It’s a practical solution to a real problem, and that’s something we can get behind.
Why It Matters
Food insecurity continues to affect many households throughout New Zealand.
At the same time, large quantities of edible food are unnecessarily wasted every year.
Kai Ika addresses both challenges at once.
Their work helps:
• Reduce food waste
• Provide nutritious food to families and communities
• Promote environmental sustainability
• Honour cultural traditions and knowledge
• Strengthen community connections
We were particularly drawn to the fact that Kai Ika doesn’t simply talk about making a difference. They are making a difference every day through practical action.
A Natural Alignment
When we recently met with the Kai Ika team, it quickly became clear that we shared many of the same values.
At Key Skills, one of the phrases we often use is:
Buy Local. Hire Local. Back Local.
For us, that isn’t just a slogan. It’s a philosophy.
We believe strong communities are built when local people support local businesses, local businesses support local organisations, and everyone plays a part in creating opportunities for others.
Kai Ika embodies that same thinking.
Their approach is community-driven, practical, collaborative and focused on creating long-term impact rather than short-term fixes.
The partnership felt like a natural fit.
More Than a Donation
While Key Skills has committed financial support to Kai Ika, we see this partnership as being about much more than writing a cheque.
We want to help raise awareness of the incredible work being done.
We want to introduce more people to the organisation.
We want to help connect Kai Ika with businesses and individuals who share their vision.
And most importantly, we want to help grow the impact they can have throughout Wellington and beyond.
In many ways, this partnership belongs as much to our community as it does to us. Without the recommendations and encouragement of the people who follow, support and engage with Key Skills, we may never have discovered the incredible work Kai Ika is doing.
For that, we’re grateful.
How You Can Help
If you’d like to learn more about Kai Ika, volunteer your time, support their kaupapa or make a donation, we encourage you to visit their website and see the impact for yourself.
Every contribution, large or small, helps turn potential waste into valuable nutrition for families and communities.
To find out more or make a donation, visit:
We’re excited to be part of the journey and look forward to sharing more about Kai Ika and the difference they’re making in our communities over the months ahead.
Because when local organisations work together, great things happen.
