$50,000 earmarked for Kāwhia marae whānau struggling with the COVID 19 lockdown

A $50,000 Waikato community funding grant has been earmarked to provide financial support for whānau struggling from the impact of the COVID 19 lockdown across 8 Kāwhia marae communities.  The funding pūtea applies to whānau living in their marae communities around the Kāwhia harbour. 

Cathrine Holland led an initial marae assessment with 8 women representing 8 marae around the harbour who make up the marae collective, Ngā Marae o Kāwhia Moana.  “Our team identified the critical needs of their whānau during these difficult times,” Holland says.

Given food was identified as an immediate priority, Maketū Marae in Kāwhia has been set up as the distribution point for food parcels to cater for local marae whānau as the first priority.  However, Holland says the marae assessment specifically highlighted critical requirements unique to whānau living in isolated areas around the harbour.

Travel to essential services is a challenge for outlying communities. The nearest supermarket, pharmacy, and MSD to register for benefits is at least an hour drive through country terrain. “Petrol vouchers are a necessity for most households for car trips that require personal attendance from Kawhia to Te Awamutu, Marokopa to Otorohanga and Tahāroa to Te Kuiti,” Holland says.

Water is at a premium across the marae communities. The excessive use of water for washing to protect against COVID 19 especially for those homes not on town water supply means water tanks need refilling. This applies to most of the outlying communities around the Kāwhia harbour

Holland says the marae assessment of the local marae communities flagged concerns about the onset of colder weather with winter just around the corner.  “This means firewood deliveries are a priority to the most vulnerable members of the marae communities especially for our elderly and young families”.

The marae assessment process has also highlighted ongoing whānau support will be required if the lockdown period is extended. Holland says there are families who will come under pressure as the cost of further lock- downs accrue.

She says whānau who are receiving a benefit as regular income, are struggling to cope with the additional expense of lock-down particularly those with small children. “Even as we move to Alert Level 3, not everyone will have the freedom of going back to work so the pressure will still exist for many of our whānau," Holland confirms.

She notes, there is some anxiety locally, that the economic downturn caused by COVID 19 will result in unemployment and job downsizing for those currently in employment. Holland says, “Immediate relief is needed for those family members who have lost their jobs because of COVID 19 until they’re able to arrange for a benefit or return to work”.

Holland fears the added stress of unemployment will be a disastrous outcome for whānau around Kāwhia Moana.