Community · Initiatives
మన బడి
Our school. Our language. Free Telugu classes every Saturday — so the words our grandparents gave us keep living in our children.
దేశభాషలందు తెలుగు లెస్స
Classes run every Saturday during the school term, so learning Telugu becomes a natural part of the family week.
Children, teenagers, parents and grandparents are all welcome — beginners and confident speakers alike.
Our teachers are community volunteers who give their Saturdays so our children can grow up hearing their mother tongue.
WHY MANA BADI MATTERS
Growing up in Aotearoa, our children live in English. It is the language of school, of friendships, of everyday life — and that is a gift. But a language carries more than words. It carries humour, affection, stories and the way a grandmother says your name.
When Telugu fades, those things quietly fade with it. Mana Badi exists so that doesn't happen. A child who can speak Telugu can speak to their అమ్మమ్మ and తాతయ్య without an interpreter, understand the songs sung at Ugadi, and read a letter from home in the hand it was written in.
We are not only teaching a script. We are handing over an inheritance — and trusting the next generation to carry it further than we did.
WHAT WE TEACH
Classes are structured by level, so every learner moves at a pace that suits them.
Starting with the Telugu alphabet (అక్షరాలు) and building up to stories, rhymes and simple passages.
Forming letters correctly, joining words, and writing sentences with confidence and pride.
Everyday conversation so children can speak comfortably with parents, grandparents and family back home.
Songs, festivals, padyalu and stories that carry the meaning behind our traditions, not just the words.
When
Every Saturday
During school terms
Class Times & Venue
Get in touch
Contact us for current times, venue and enrolment
MANA BADI
Enrol for Saturday classes, or volunteer your time as a teacher. Every hour you give keeps Telugu alive in Aotearoa for another generation.
