“I don’t know where else we could have gone” – Emergency Housing for Pacific families

Updates / News , 22 Sep 21

As we move into a new week of Alert Level restrictions from Alert Level 3 to Alert Level 2, one of the tools for Delta containment has been the use of self-isolation and for some Pacific families, this has added additional stress as their circumstances make it difficult to comply with health authority directives.

Pasifika Futures (PFL) – the Whanau Ora commissioning agency for Pacific families – are conscious of this and similar challenges so throughout this entire period have provided where appropriate and necessary – emergency accommodation for Pacific individuals and families affected by the Delta outbreak.

PFL’s Director of Learning Development, Mrs Lucyanne Laurenson, says this service is provided for Pacific families with varying living arrangements.

“Some people have come out of MIQ [Managed Isolation & Quarantine] to find that they can’t go back home because household family members are self-isolating as they were at locations of interest. So, we provide them with emergency accommodation until they can safely return home.

We’re also providing emergency accommodation for displaced communities like the RSE workers and the Cook Islands community who cannot return home due to closed borders”, says Mrs Laurenson.

PFL has provided emergency accommodation to people who cannot isolate safely for reasons such as overcrowded homes or living in a bubble with vulnerable family members. Those who are placed in emergency accommodation also receive food and mental health support.

Mr Citizen Halafihi is currently in emergency accommodation provided by PFL as he could not return home after quarantining in MIQ facilities. Family members in Mr Halafihi’s household are self-isolating as they were at a location of interest.

“At home, my family were actually going into self-isolation so I couldn’t go home after coming out from MIQ because I’d be putting myself back at risk,” he says.

But Mr Halafihi expresses his gratitude to PFL and The Fono who have been supporting him, his partner and baby.

“I’m really appreciative of the support the team gave us. I don’t know where else we could’ve got this help, with the way we were provided with food and accommodation.

I don’t know where else we could have gone. We could have been sleeping in the car if we didn’t get that support.

But we’re doing good at the moment and are really thankful for the support we’ve been receiving while in isolation.”

#pmafamily #pmaunite

Date: Tuesday 21 September 2021

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