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

via Pasifika Medical Association Group 

"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." - Citizen Halafihi and his family have been so appreciative of the help and support they've received from both Pasifika Futures and the Fono after he was unable to return home after quarantining in MIQ facilities.

When he came out, members of his family were having to self-isolate due to being at a location of interest.

The use of self-isolation for Delta containment has added additional stress for some Pacific families as their circumstances have sometimes made 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 one of those currently in emergency accommodation provided by PFL.

“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.”