“Call to action” – Pasifika Futures supporting RSE workers affected by lockdown
Updates / News, 17 Sep 21
A core value for Pasifika Futures (PFL) – the Whanau Ora commissioning agency for Pacific families – during this current community outbreak is to provide support for ALL Pacific people.


An example of this relationship in action is the work PFL are currently doing with the Recognized Seasonal Employer (RSE) workers in Invercargill with food support and rental relief.

For RSE workers like Mr Rakeimata Koronui, the disruption of the RSE scheme has come with the added pressure of providing for his family.

“This is the first time I’ve experienced a lockdown like this. I wasn’t working because everything was shut down.

Me and my partner were relying on our family tax credit from IRD [Inland Revenue Department].”

Mr Koronui is a RSE worker from the Cook Islands currently based in Invercargill with his partner, two kids and mother-in-law.

During the Alert Level 4 lockdown, he reached out to the Pacific Island Advisory & Cultural Trust (PIACT), one of the partners funded by PFL to support Pacific families.

“My cousin told me about the trust so I got in touch with them and they helped us straight away. They gave us vouchers to help with food.

I’m the only one working in my household. Pasifika Futures is helping us now with our rent and and it’s a really big help.”

Mr Koronui is currently employed at a meat works factory as he awaits the start of seasonal work.



PFL’s Director of Learning Development, Mrs Lucyanne Laurenson, says they have been hard at work in making sure support is going out to those in need.

“We’re supporting many different communities including the RSE workers in Invercargill,” she says.

“People have reached out for help and when there’s a call to action, we step in. There’s no hesitation by us to support our communities in need during this time."


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Date: Friday 17 September 2021