More than a quarter of all Pacific people in New Zealand have needed urgent financial support since the Covid-19 lockdown began.
Currently, more than 19,600 Pacific families are receiving support — that number is just for the past six weeks.
Iakapo Leiataua's cleaning job has been reduced to three days a week. His family of six were just managing before, but the Delta outbreak has pushed them over the edge.
“We are always in arrears. We sacrifice one bill to pay for something else,” he said.
In April, Māngere Budgeting Services Trust surveyed 1500 families and found, after rent, they were left with $39 on average.
It's believed to be worse now because many low-income workers were getting 80 per cent or less of their income because of Covid-19 lockdowns.
The trust's chief executive Darryl Evans said 20 per cent was a "huge amount" off money for groceries.
"So, people haven't been able to put enough food on the table," he said.
In the past six weeks, South Seas Healthcare has seen the need explode threefold. In just one day, it gave out 500 food parcels.
“The stats, they’ve always been there, but Delta thrives in inequity," South Seas Healthcare CEO Lemalu Silao Vaisola-Sefo said.
Meanwhile, agency Pasifika Futures said the situation is the worst in decades. Since lockdown began last month, Pasifika Futures has distributed $8.7 million to providers helping families in need.
“I have been working in health for 40 years and I have not seen anything that has been this extreme,” the agency’s chief executive Debbie Sorensen said.
"Whether thats a civil defence emergency or anything else on this scale. This is very serious."
Meanwhile, The Fono is helping a family who hasn’t had any hot water since lockdown began.
“They are a proud homeowner. But, because of their low single income, a disaster like this when the hot water doesn't work just throws them over,” The Fono’s Frank Koloi said.
The family say they’re thankful there are people willing to help during the pandemic.
Contractor TROW Group is going from job to job, horrified at what they were witnessing. The group’s founder Saia Latu said he was seeing living situations that put people’s health at risk.
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