Founder of Vinepa Trust - a Pasifika Futures partner - Gabrielle-Sisifo Makisi, has been honored with a Queens Service Medal (QSM) for services to Pacific Communities and Education, in the recent Queen’s Birthday Honours List for 2022.

Trigger warning: mental health and suicide.

Pasifika Futures’ weekly Ngalu Fānifo segment on Radio 531 P.I which focuses on mental health and wellbeing continues its recent focus on practical approaches to alleviating stress and anxiety with mindfulness tasks designed to settle one’s nerves and bring about a sense of calmness.

The recent Queen’s Birthday Honors List for 2022 saw a number of Pacific leaders recognised for their contributions to the Pacific community. Included in this list is the Chair for the Wellington Tongan Leaders Council – a Pasifika Futures partner - Reverend Hiueni Nuku.

This week marks the celebration of Samoan Language Week and for Samoan GP and Pasifika Medical Association board member, Dr Maryann Heather, she is reminded of her upbringing where language and culture was an important part of how she was raised.

Pasifika Futures’ Ngalu Fānifo segment on 531 PI recently focused on the use of “progressive muscle relaxation” exercises to help ease stress and anxiety.

This week is Rotuman Language Week and it coincides with International Nurses Day, which is fitting for Rotuman Nurse and Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) member, Taknoa Gaunavou, who credits her Rotuman culture for leading her to a profession in nursing.

Tamaki College’s Tereora Academy invited members of the community, students and parents, for their Project RISE Co-Design Day, to connect and discuss aspirations for the Tamaki community.

Pasifika Futures (PFL), the Whānau Ora commissioning agency for Pacific families, have maintained their support for Pacific families throughout the Omicron outbreak, collaborating with partners across the country to ensure support is being mobilized as fast as possible for Pacific communities.

As families take an opportunity to pause and spend time together this Easter weekend, it is important we maintain our faith and trust that better days are coming, says CEO for the South Waikato Pacific Islands Community Services Trust, Mrs Akarere Henry.

With the Omicron outbreak putting more stress on GP clinics and service provision, Pasifika Futures (PFL) - the Whānau Ora commissioning agency for Pacific families - have responded by standing up a call centre to alleviate some of this pressure off the Etu Pasifika clinic in Auckland.

According to experts, we are nearing the peak of the current Omicron outbreak as cases continue to rise at an exponential rate and with this in mind, psychiatric nurse for Etu Pasifika, Mrs Seini Falefata reinforces the need for our family households to be well prepared for the self-isolation.