Elodie Berthe is a mum of two and Barnardos Aotearoa Communications and Advocacy Manager. She explains why she has left a gift in her Will to Barnardos.

My connection to Barnardos is deeply personal.

On my first day at work, my son Hugo also started at our local Barnardos Early Learning centre. It was an emotional day. My time at home just with him had come to an end. Financially and mentally, it was time for me to return to work, but he still felt so tiny to be leaving for the day.

The team welcomed us with open arms, kindness, and absolutely no judgement for returning to work earlier than most mums. Instantly, I felt I could trust them.

Like many families nowadays, we don’t have a village of support around us; no relatives nearby to help. But the kaiako (teachers) quickly became part of that village for us. They helped build a strong foundation for Hugo, nurtured his love of stories, pirates, and endless questions about the world, while also supporting other families who face much bigger barriers.

Two years later, I found myself doing the same thing again — this time with my little Victoire. Two children under two was tough on our own. I certainly had my moments; dropping them off, juggling sickness, exhaustion, my mental wellbeing and work-life balance. It felt relentless at times. We couldn’t have done it without the amazing team at Barnardos: the hugs, the kind words, and the trust that our children were in safe, capable, fun hands.

Since that first day, my love for children has only grown, along with a strong desire to make a difference for those who are less fortunate than Hugo and Victoire. I strongly believe that every child should have the same access to opportunities as mine, but seeing the families we support at Barnardos every day, I know that’s not the case. That’s why the work Barnardos does matters so much.

As the person who writes the stories you read, I’ve had the privilege of meeting some incredible families. I’ve sat with children healing from trauma, teenage mums raising children despite huge hardship, mums sharing the most personal parts of their stories in the hope of inspiring other women to reach out for help. Each of them has taught me so much about strength and resilience, as well as hope and new beginning.

I do see first-hand how the generosity of donors can truly change lives. Support from donors like you and me helps families address the root causes of the challenges they face, not just offering a quick fix, but walking alongside them for the long term. And I see the impact of that every day.

Through my advocacy work, I also see how important it is to have organisations willing to speak up for children to people making decisions that impact them, while pushing for the long-term change that helps break cycles of hardship.

So leaving a gift in my Will to Barnardos felt like a no-brainer. When I looked into it, I realised something simple but powerful: even leaving just 1% of my assets could make a meaningful difference. It still leaves 99% for my children, while helping support other children across Aotearoa New Zealand.

It’s my way of helping ensure that long after I’m gone, children will continue to have the support they need to get the start in life they deserve, no matter the circumstances they’re born into.

Because every child deserves the chance to thrive.

Invest in futures not yet written

Learn how to leave a gift in your Will for free and very easily at barnardos.org.nz/leave-a-gift-in-your-will, or contact Lindy on 0800 005 437 or giftinwill@barnardos.org.nz.

Start the year by investing in the future

Why I’ve chosen to leave a gift to Barnardos in my Will