Notas del episodio
Some people build organisations.
Others build communities.
For more than two decades, Eva Chen MNZM has quietly stood alongside migrant and refugee families across Aotearoa New Zealand, creating spaces where people feel seen, supported and connected.
In this conversation, Eva shares the untold stories behind Wellbeing Charitable Trust—from supporting new migrant mothers experiencing postnatal depression and family violence, to advocating for culturally appropriate services, coordinating emergency responses during natural disasters, and helping families through the COVID-19 pandemic.
What makes Eva's story remarkable is not simply what she has achieved, but how she has achieved it.
She reminds us that meaningful change rarely begins with large budgets or grand strategies. It begins by listening to one family, responding to one need, and earning the trust of a community. Throughout our conversation, we explore:
• Building Wellbeing Charitable Trust from the ground up
• Supporting Chinese migrant parents and families
• The hidden realities of family violence in migrant communities
• Why trust is the most valuable resource in community work
• Grassroots leadership and advocacy
• Cultural dignity during emergencies and disasters
• Community mobilisation during COVID-19
• Why lasting social change happens through relationships, not systems alone
Perhaps the greatest lesson from Eva is this:
Communities are not built by organisations.
They are built by ordinary people who choose to care for one another.