Published on 13th of November, 2025
Many people struggling with the cost of living are managing debt. And sometimes, the difference between a family just managing financially and not managing at all might be as simple as an unexpected expense–a car repair bill, for example. When something like this comes along, people may feel compelled to turn to high interest lenders and debt can spiral out of control.
He Pūtea Manaaki (the Caring Purse) is a new no-interest loan scheme being piloted by our Financial Mentoring team. This initiative offers loans of up to $5,000 for up to three years and is available to CMM clients and staff to address financial hardship. The aim of He Pūtea Manaaki is to provide no interest and no fee loans to those for whom other avenues of funding have been explored and ruled out (e.g. Work and Income, other charities and traditional lenders).
Mentor Mike King says: “We often come across clients who could begin to turn their financial life around if they could borrow a small amount of money without fees and high interest.”
He Pūtea Manaaki is intended to help with such things as repayment or consolidation of existing high interest debt, car repairs, education fees and paying for household items when funds can’t be found from other sources.
The money will not be paid directly to the applicant but rather to the place where it is owed. To be eligible, applicants must have engaged with a member of our Financial Mentoring team. The process involves writing a budget and this must show that applicants can pay back the loan without creating further debt or hardship.
He Pūtea Manaaki offers small amounts of money that will make a big difference in the lives of people experiencing financial hardship. It’s a great addition to the kete of support that CMM is able to offer in these difficult times.
