Vaka Tautua’s COVID-19 outreach a true team effort

Vaka Tautua staff processing a clothing donation from The Warehouse Auckland Airport branch.

In response to the recent COVID-19 Delta outbreak, Vaka Tautua adapted rapidly to provide greater outreach support to our Pacific communities in the Auckland, Wellington and Canterbury regions.

Since the start of the latest lockdown in August, the teams have delivered more than 1,100 PPE (personal protective equipment) packs and care packages to families across the country.

Using strict protocols and contactless delivery, staff have packed boxes and driven for several hours each week to distribute items such as masks, gloves and hand sanitiser to those in need.

Vaka Tautua has also been able to provide some extra “goodies” and packages of support, thanks to donations from organisations who have reached out to offer their support to our more vulnerable communities who are struggling during the lockdown. They include KiwiHarvest, Counties Manukau Police (Pacific), and The Warehouse Auckland Airport branch, who recently called Vaka Tautua’s 0800 OLA LELEI Pacific helpline to donate boxes of new clothes.

“We are thankful to our partners, organisations and the wider public for their generosity and support in these difficult times,” said Vaka Tautua Innovation Manager, Bernice Mene, who is overseeing the organisation’s national COVID outreach programme.

“It’s heartening to see that we are looking out for and supporting each other, and that organisations consider Vaka Tautua a trusted partner to get this support into our communities.”

Vitinia Waqairatu, Disability Coordinator for Vaka Tautua in Auckland, who has been delivering PPE and care packages, said she feels blessed to see the smiles on people’s faces when they receive the packages.

Atonio Hiliate, another Disability Coordinator in Auckland, said, “We have received positive feedback from our service users, who have called to thank us for the deliveries. Many find it hard to source PPE gear and it is costly for them to buy, so they appreciate the packs we provide.”

In Christchurch, Kaiongo Tupou reported, “Our disabled and older people are so thankful. They are more vulnerable and I think Vaka Tautua has done well as an organisation with our efforts to protect our communities.”

Anyone in need of support can call Vaka Tautua’s free Pacific helpline, 0800 OLA LELEI (0800 652 535), which runs Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 5.00pm. The Ola Lelei team speaks Samoan, Tongan, Cook Islands Māori and English.