For the islands we love, and the people who call them home.
Inamata is a nonprofit that shares the beauty and culture of the Cook Islands with the world, and works alongside island communities on lasting projects in education, health, technology and youth development.
Listening first. Then building together.
Every Inamata project begins with the community. Island leaders, teachers, health workers and families tell us what matters most, and we bring the resources, skills and partners to deliver it.
We believe that sharing the Cook Islands with the world and supporting the people who live there go hand in hand. Visitors who come with respect help island economies grow. Partners who listen help communities thrive on their own terms.
Four areas of work
Our programs are shaped by what island communities have asked for.
Education
Learning resources, laptops and digital tools for students and teachers.
Health & Wellbeing
Elder care, hospital support and practical help for vulnerable residents.
Technology
Connectivity, digital skills and a community technology hub.
Youth
Mentoring, leadership and career pathways for young Cook Islanders.
Our journey on Akatokamanava
Akatokamanava (Mauke) in the Southern Group is the first island we are helping, and Enuamanu (Atiu) is next. Each visit builds on the trust and understanding of the one before.
Relationship building
Met community members and leaders, listened to their priorities, and identified focus areas in education, health, youth and technology.
Education & community support
Donated school supplies, improved the school network, and delivered elderly care and medical supplies to those in need.
Technology & future planning
Delivering laptops and learning resources, evaluating Starlink connectivity, and holding consultations for a shared roadmap.
Enuamanu, the Island of Birds
After Akatokamanava, our next partnership will be with Enuamanu (Atiu), the third-largest island in the Cook Islands and home to about 400 people across five villages.
We will start the way we started on Akatokamanava: by visiting, meeting island leaders and families, and listening before any project begins. More islands will follow.
Fifteen islands. One ocean family.
Between Tahiti and Samoa, fifteen islands are spread across nearly two million square kilometres of the Pacific. We invite the world to experience them with curiosity and respect.
Help bring learning, connection and care to the outer islands.
Donate, volunteer your skills, or partner with us on a project. Every contribution goes to work the community has asked for.
Rooted in community, guided by respect.
Why Inamata exists
Inamata began with a simple belief: the more people know and love the Cook Islands, the more support can flow back to the islands themselves.
We promote the culture, people and natural beauty of the Cook Islands, and we work hand in hand with island communities on projects that make everyday life better. Our first partnership, the Mauke Community Development Initiative, has grown over three visits from listening sessions into practical support for the island's school, elderly residents and connectivity.
Akatokamanava (Mauke) is where we began. Enuamanu (Atiu) is the next island we will partner with, and we plan to bring the same community-first approach to more of the Cook Islands over time.
A connected, empowered and thriving community on every island we serve.
To work alongside island communities to identify needs, develop practical solutions and create opportunity, while respecting local culture, leadership and self-determination.
How we work
Community first
Projects are guided by local needs and priorities.
Sustainability
Initiatives must be practical, maintainable and built to last.
Partnership
Solutions are developed together with the community.
Respect
Local knowledge, culture and leadership are valued and honoured.
Transparency
Projects, funding and responsibilities are communicated openly.
Sharing what makes these islands special
Alongside our community work, we champion the Cook Islands as a place to visit, learn from and care about: its music and dance, tivaevae quilting, local food, ocean life and the warmth of its people.
Responsible tourism and access to global markets help island producers and families thrive. Promoting the islands is part of how we support them.
“Success is measured not by the number of projects completed, but by the strength of the partnerships formed and the positive impact created within the community.”
Starting with Akatokamanava (Mauke). Enuamanu (Atiu) is next.
We work one island at a time, so that every partnership is built on real relationships. Akatokamanava (Mauke) and Enuamanu (Atiu) are two of the three Southern Group islands known together as Ngā-Pū-Toru, along with Mitiaro.
Akatokamanava
MaukeThree community visits so far, with education, health and technology projects under way.
Next islandEnuamanu
AtiuOur next partnership. We begin with a listening visit to learn what the community needs.
More islands
As each partnership becomes community-led, we will bring the same approach to other islands.
Akatokamanava
Mauke · “the place where my heart rested”
Legend says Chief Uke named the island Akatokamanava after a long voyage from Avaiki. The name Mauke, “land of Uke”, came later and is the name used on maps and flights today. It is a peaceful garden island where flowers grow wild and families take great pride in their gardens.
- Residents
- About 290
- From Rarotonga
- 50-minute flight
- Villages
- Ngatiarua, Areora, Kimiangatau
- Landscape
- Volcanic centre ringed by makatea
- Freshwater cavesSwim in Vai Tango, or explore Motuanga, the “Cave of 100 Rooms”, which has never been fully explored.
- The divided churchZiona church (1882) was built by two villages that could not agree on the interior, so each finished its own half in its own style.
- Island hospitalityA small, warm community where visitors are welcomed as one of their own.
Three visits, school and elder-care support, laptops and connectivity, and a 2026–2029 community plan. See Akatokamanava (Mauke) projects
Enuamanu
Atiu · the Island of Birds
More than 8 million years old, Enuamanu (Atiu) is the third-largest island in the Cook Islands and one of its least touched. With no nightclubs, almost no township and little traffic, it offers a genuine view of island life.
- Residents
- About 400
- From Rarotonga
- 45-minute flight, Mon · Wed · Fri
- Villages
- Teenui, Mapumai, Tengatangi, Areora, Ngatiarua
- Land area
- About 27 km²
- Caves and the kopekaLimestone caves hide artesian swimming pools. Anatakitaki Cave is home to the kopeka, a tiny swiftlet found only on Enuamanu that navigates the dark by echolocation, like a bat.
- BirdlifeAbout eleven native bird species, including the endangered kākerōri (Rarotonga monarch), the kura lorikeet reintroduced in 2007, and the Blue Kingfisher.
- Coffee and tumunuArabica coffee is grown organically and processed on the island. In the evening, locals gather at the tumunu, a century-old bush beer club named after the coconut-trunk barrels.
- TakuteaAn uninhabited island 21 km away, owned jointly by all the people of Enuamanu and protected as a wildlife sanctuary.
A first community engagement visit, followed by a needs assessment and partnership plan shaped by Enuamanu's leaders and families. See Enuamanu (Atiu) plans
See the islands for yourself
Visitors who come with curiosity and respect support local families, guides and producers. These official sources are the best place to start.
Help us take what we've learned on Akatokamanava (Mauke) to Enuamanu (Atiu).
Our work: past, present and planned.
Inamata's work is organised into four portfolios: Health & Wellbeing, Education, Technology, and Youth Development. Every project is planned with the community it serves.
Roadmap, 2026 to 2029
From listening, to pilots, to growth, to projects the community manages on its own.
Fund a project the community has asked for.
The people behind Inamata.
A small team with deep island roots
Each member of our team leads an area of our work. Between us we bring family ties to Ngā-Pū-Toru, Manihiki and Rakahanga, and years of experience in education, health, youth development and technology across the Cook Islands and Aotearoa New Zealand.
We never work alone
Our island stakeholders include community leaders, Mauke School staff, hospital and health workers, and local families. Advisory partners bring expertise in health, technology, education and logistics.
Let's talk.
Whether you would like to donate, volunteer, partner on a project or simply say kia orana, we would love to hear from you.
- hello@inamata.org
- Where we work
- Akatokamanava (Mauke), Enuamanu (Atiu) & Rarotonga, Cook Islands
Donate
Fund laptops, learning resources, elder care supplies and connectivity.
Volunteer
Teachers, nurses, IT specialists, tradespeople and storytellers are welcome.
Partner
Businesses, foundations and schools can sponsor a project or match donations.