Whānau at breaking point
King Country families are going without power for weeks – and whā nau are at breaking point, a school principal says.
The increasing cost of living with price hikes in food, fuel, and rent had created a cost of living crisis and families were struggling to make ends meet, Kā whia Primary School principal Leanne Apiti said.
‘‘We have parents saying they are going to crack soon.’’
For some, getting petrol in the car to get their children to school, or even the bus stop, was impossible.
‘‘It’s not through a lack of trying, it’s just the cost of living,’’ she said. ‘‘They are working fulltime and still struggling.’’
This comes as KidsCan launches an urgent appeal to help feed children as winter hits, in response to a spike in applications for help – with more than 2000 children on its waiting list. The charity was asking the public to donate $15 for the 15% of children in New Zealand who live with food insecurity.
Apiti said teachers were seeing children react to situations that would normally be minor, they were on edge, and many had just stopped trying.
‘‘We haven’t had full attendance all year. Some of that is Covid-19, but the [living] costs too. We go out ourselves and pick up the children to get them to school.’’
The decile 1a school of 53 students received the healthy school lunch programme, as well as food, clothes, and medical supplies from KidsCan. That included winter jackets, shoes, head lice treatments, and snacks for the children to eat.
‘‘For some people that’s their main source of kai,’’ Apiti said. ‘‘We had a child bring in a birthday cake, and another child asked to take a piece home to nana because they were struggling.’’
She said the winter jackets from KidsCan had made a big difference, and the children were really appreciative. ‘‘The children wear those jackets with so much pride. Some children slept in their jackets.’’
KidsCan was now helping to feed a record 44,000 children in more than 1000 schools and early childhood centres nationwide.
Thousands more in 19 schools and 52 early childhood centres were waiting for help, KidsCan’s founder and chief executive Julie Chapman said. ‘‘Families on low incomes are doing it tougher than ever before.
‘‘They can’t absorb the rising cost of living, and by the end of the week the food runs out. It’s an awful way to live.’’
She said the burden to help often fell on teacher’s shoulders, because before children can learn, they needed to be fed and warm. ’’We’ve seen a spike in schools and early childhood centres asking for support, but with our monthly donations dropping for the first time, we need more help.
‘‘We’re asking everyone who can afford it to donate just $15 to help feed the children we support and reach those waiting for help more quickly. These kids deserve nothing less.’’
Seven schools applied for support in one week alone in April, and requests for hot meals were up 33% on last term.
The cost-of-living crisis was also affecting donations, Chapman said. The number of monthly donors – which charities relied on for sustained support – dropped for the first time in KidsCan’s 17-year history.
‘‘We have parents saying they are going to crack soon.’’
Leanne Apiti
Kāwhia Primary School principal, pictured