I grew up believing that strength meant quiet endurance. My mother was the embodiment of this, carrying our home and our hearts with unwavering grace and love. For years, she kept the constant pain of severe osteoarthritis and hearing loss invisible, shielding us from its weight. That changed when my daughter, born at 28 weeks and later diagnosed as neurodivergent, taught me a deeper truth: no one should have to brave the world alone. We all share the collective responsibility to make it better for everyone. In this spirit, with an educational and professional background spanning business, social impact, and technology, equity through enterprise became my bridge, the one I could build. Born out of deep Aroha, Equitable Aotearoa stands on this conviction: to build a digital ecosystem where disabled entrepreneurs and their whānau can access opportunity, visibility, and achieve genuine economic independence. For me, this is not just an initiative, it’s the beginning of a movement - a deep-seated commitment to forge an equitable entrepreneurial future for all.

     

Saima Ijaz

Founder