Lay summary
The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted the Quality of Life of New Zealanders particularly those living in highly deprived communities. A reduction in physical wellbeing has impacted the mental wellbeing of whanau and communities during Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns. The improvement of Quality of Life in communities such as Maraenui through physical exercise has been led through innovative solutions like The MEKE Initiative. Indigenous QoL instrument The Meke Meter has enabled researchers to capture whanau and rangatahi voice and understand how we can create a prosperous community. Sharing knowledge and empowering whanau is a necessity as we shift into a Covid recovery mindset.