How is the Covid-19 lockdown affecting some vital cultural and social spaces within the communities? For an Auckland woman whose entire life revolves around community - running, organizing and managing such vital spaces, the lockdown is a challenging and uncertain time. Produced by Kadambari Raghukumar.

For a woman whose entire life revolves around serving the community, the Covid-19 lockdown is a challenging time compelling her to make hard calls that affect several people in the community - often the ones in most need.

Ranjna Patel is a 3rd generation Kiwi Indian Aucklander and a Queens Service Medal recipient. She's a true community woman with her finger consistently on the pulse, loved by and inspirational to many in the community. She's been responsible for the genesis and running of three community institutions around in South Auckland. The Swaminarayan temple in Papatoetoe, East Tamaki Health clinics, and Gandhi Nivas, the family harm prevention center.

The lockdown imposed by the government affects each of these spaces in a unique way, somehow highlighting their need in society even further.

"These are all people-based, delivering to people in need..so it's a very hard time for us in our heads" says Ranjna.

Gandhi Nivas was founded in 2015 by Ranjana and works with trained counsellors to offer an emergency space and counselling for men who commit family harm or are about to, instead of the women and children leaving home. They are referred to the centre by the police within 24 hours of the incident. By using holistic early intervention methods, counselling and culturally nuanced approaches, Gandhi Nivas has seen huge success rates since they've opened their doors.

The lockdown period could see surge in family harm incidences, with the police preparing to respond to such an increase. At such a time services like Gandhi Nivas seem even more important. It was a huge dilemma Ranjna was in, just a day prior to lockdown. Ranjna had to take the call to shut the doors to keep her staff, the providers of the centre's service, safe and healthy. She's had to resign to the reality of the lockdown.

While this community institution of hers is shut during the lockdown, East Tamaki Health founded by Ranjna and her husband Dr Kantilal Patel, has been working on overdrive. What started in 1977 with one solo GP clinic, Ranjna and her husband today help provide vital medical services to the community in South Auckland. One of the things Ranjana identified early in her career was the need for a diverse cultural workforce that understands the community…

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details