Ep.123 – How to Fix Power Poverty

You would think that having access to electricity would be a basic human right afforded to everybody these days, but not always. So Ezra Hirawani set out on a mission to end power poverty by co-founding Nau Mai Rā, a kaupapa Māori energy retailer, delivering affordable power and a system that will not disconnect people that are having trouble paying their bills, nor run any credit checks. This system built on trust and dialogue actually has a lower default rate than the companies that do use disconnection policies. A portion of each power bill also goes to the customer’s local marae or a nominated community initiative or can be placed into a “whānau fund” to help families in extreme financial hardship.

We talk to Ezra about becoming 2022 Young New Zealander of the Year, travelling to China to fall in love with his Māori culture and business models built on respect and trust.