Walkers offer strong message of hope
Dressed in yellow and with love in their hearts they descended on South Auckland to share a message of unity.
Hundreds of people wearing T-shirts bearing the message ‘’Stronger Together’’ turned out in Papakura for the Hopewalk suicide awareness event on Saturday.
The walk was launched in 2015 by Papakura Christian pastor Joseph Fa’afiu as a way of ‘‘breaking the stigma, shame and silence around suicide’’.
He was motivated to take action after losing a close friend to suicide in 2010.
Fa’afiu said the goal was to connect people touched by suicide.
‘‘The main initiative behind it is getting people who felt isolated or affected by suicide and bringing them together to a place where they can have the freedom without stigma [to talk].
‘‘Stigma is a big thing. We try to remove that and allow them to talk openly with those they’re walking with.
‘‘That’s where the wonder happens - when they start to communicate with others about why they’re walking.’’
Luckey Fuataha, 45, travelled from New Lynn for the walk.
He said he took part to support the cause of suicide awareness. ’’Years ago I lost some close mates. It was like I’d lost a brother. We grew up together.’’
Fuataha said the sort of support now available to people who need help didn’t exist back then. ’’They weren’t able to open up and were kept in the dark. People should reach out and not be scared. Let them open up. Be prepared to listen.’’
Manurewa man Richie Hislop, 46, said he joined the walk because of his brother, who he lost to suicide six years ago at age 45.
‘‘I’ve lost a few other people over the years,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s pretty hard on the whole family. It’s not until you’ve actually lost someone [that you know what it’s like]. People don’t think about it.’’
Hislop encourages people feeling down to ‘‘reach out and talk to someone’’.
‘‘There’s always someone who’s willing to listen. Just by listening it helps.’’
Fa’afiu said he also wanted the walk to help those affected by suicide to connect with community organisations and groups that were able to support them.
‘‘We feel there’s a gap in a lot of areas.’’
Hopewalks are being held on different dates around the world this year, including in 19 cities in New Zealand as well as locations in Australia, Canada, the United States and Rarotonga.
In the 2016 financial year, 579 New Zealanders took their own lives, up from 564 the previous year.
Chief Coroner Judge Deborah Marshall said the rate of people dying by suicide remained consistent. It showed New Zealand had a long way to go in turning this ‘‘unacceptably high’’ total around, she said.