Pasifika Collective provides back to school kits for Tongan children
The Pasifika Collective superyacht and marine charity has provided school supplies and relief for 40 Tongan children; who were displaced during Tonga’s January volcanic eruptions.
New Zealand superyacht and marine charity, the Pasifika Collective, has completed an emergency response to Tonga with a shipment destined for Tongans most-affected by the island nation’s January eruptions.
Tongan-born, New Zealand Member of Parliament, Jenny Salesa, put out the call for school supplies for families who had lost everything in Tonga, and the New Zealand industry was happy to respond.
The shipment completes a relief response which saw multiple shipments of aid sent, and the Pasifika Collective work with NGOs on the ground in Tonga to ensure aid reached the worst-affected islands of Mango, Atata, Nomuka, Fonoifua.
The last containers of emergency aid have shown the outpouring of ofa (love) from the superyacht industry in New Zealand. They contain back to school kits for 40 children whose families lost their housing and belongings after devastation caused by the eruptions and ensuing tsunamis, who have now been relocated.
The shipment of school supplies was accompanied by dry cereals and other foods, ensuring each child will be able to access food and a small sense of normality as they return to school.
Packs were assembled by the Pasifika Collective in Auckland, with the team filling a school bag for each student. School bags contained a number of exercise books, a lunch box, reading books, pencil case, colouring pencils, and other pieces of stationery, giving children tools for success as they started their school year.
The Collective also sent over 9000 bars of soap, donated by the ecostore - with customisable packaging for children to draw on - and torches and batteries donated by Auckland’s Diverse Electrical and Automation.
The mobilisation of aid to Tonga after the January eruption was the Pasifika Collective’s first aid response.
Its success has prompted the Collective to apply for the status of charitable organisation in New Zealand, including the implementation of an industry board to oversee the charity, and permanent team.
The Collective will focus on providing immediate emergency relief throughout the Pacific, as well as ongoing community projects which are guided and led by Pasifika communities and informed by Pasifika cultural needs.
With Tonga’s main internet connection only reconnected on 23 February, recovery will be an ongoing process and one of the first projects the Collective will seek to assist with will be long-term rebuilding of homes, agriculture initiatives and water sources in Tonga.
Contributing companies covered the breadth of the New Zealand industry and included Integrated Marine Group, Westferry Superyacht Services, General Marine Services, MarineLogix, National Marine Pacific, Boat Books, NZ Marine, Oceania Medical and Albatross PR.
Superyachts Como and Sea Eagle III have contributed goods including water and face masks and monetary donations.
New Zealand superyacht industry bands together to help Tonga
Superyacht industry in Auckland, led by the Pasifika Collective, is collecting aid, donations, to send to disaster-struck Tonga.
The local superyacht industry in New Zealand, alongside superyachts in the region, is collecting aid and donations for the benefit of Tonga.
The Pacific Island nation experienced a series of volcanic eruptions beginning on 14 January on the twin volcanic islands of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai, followed by a violent eruption on 15 January which ejected an estimated cubic kilometre of material from the volcano. The effect on Tonga has been devastating, with tsunamis after the event and thick ash coverage destroying homes and preventing a return to normal life.
Members of the superyacht industry in New Zealand, led by the Pasifika Collective, have rapidly mobilised to collect aid and send it to New Zealand’s Pacific neighbours in Tonga.
Superyachts Como and Sea Eagle II, have contributed goods including water and face masks, and a large number of industry companies have contributed products in response to a list of urgently-needed items supplied by NGOs, or donated financially for the purchase of those items.
The Pasifika Collective is a CSR initiative, created by people in the Pacific superyacht industry, for the people of the Pacific. Led by Mark Donaldson, who draws on his Samoan, Cook Island and New Zealand background, coupled with his many years of experience in the global superyacht industry, the Pasifika Collective brings crisis management, education and community outreach through the Pacific in a way that fits seamlessly within the region.
“As an industry in New Zealand, we feel very much a part of the Pacific and wider region so it’s a natural step to help our neighbours,” says Donaldson.
“It’s the Pacific way to help people in need and we will continue to send aid to Tonga over the coming weeks.”
The first shipment of aid was loaded yesterday, with the Pasifika Collective working with NGOs on the ground in Tonga to ensure aid reaches the worst-affected islands of Mango, Atata, Nomuka, Fonoifua.
Contributing companies covered the breadth of the New Zealand industry and included Integrated Marine Group, Westferry Superyacht Services, General Marine Services, MarineLogix, National Marine Pacific, Boat Books, NZ Marine, Oceania Medical and Albatross PR.
The Pasifika Collective is now seeking donations and assistance for further shipments of aid with goods needed, including bottled water, rice, flour, cooking oil, sugar, cabin bread, canned foods especially tinned fish and meat, toilet paper, tents, kerosene lamps, torches and rechargeable lanterns.
Project Support Tonga: Action Points
We continue to seek immediate assistance, by way of donations, for the following items:
We continue to seek immediate assistance, by way of donations, for the following items:
Bottled water
Rice
Flour
Cooking oil
Sugar
Cabin bread
Canned foods especially tinned fish and meat
Toilet paper
Tents, kerosene lamps, torches, rechargeable lanterns.
Our drop off point is located at 121 Beaumont Street, Freemans Bay , Auckland between the hours of 0900-1400 and we welcome your support.
Who are we?
The Pasifika Collective is an ongoing initiative, to extend a helping hand and aid to our communities in need, both here at home in New Zealand and throughout the Pacific.
The New Zealand marine industry, of which we are all active members , is home to a vibrant responsible, connected community and it’s only by engaging this global collective that we can deliver support, kindness, and a smile to the region.
Contact
Mark Donaldson
E. md@thepasifikacollective.org
C. + 64 21 616 407
Isla McKechnie
C. +64 22 406 7058
Project: Support Tonga
We continue to receive pledges to assist and deliveries of goods to our collection point in Auckland’s Viaduct. The Pasifika Collective will remain as a point of contact for logistical support, and a summary of day 1 is as follows:
Day 4 of Response – Initial Delivery
We would like to extend a huge heartfelt thank you to our New Zealand marine community for all contributions and support to date. We continue to receive pledges to assist and deliveries of goods to our collection point in Auckland’s Viaduct. The Pasifika Collective will remain as a point of contact for logistical support and a summary of day 1 is as follows:
Direct engagement and donations were received from:
M.Y Como
S.Y Sea Eagle II
Boat Books
Oceania Medical
Westferry Superyacht Services
Integrated Marine Group
Marinelogix NZ Limited
National Marine Pacific
NZ Marine
Albatross PR
Our Initial delivery today included:
Two pallets of water ( 672 x 1.5L bottles)
Twelve cartons of toilet tissue (576 rolls)
Six cartons of face masks
One carton of hand sanitiser
Shovels
Brooms
Deliveries were made to :
Aotearoa Tonga relief , Mt Smart Stadium Auckland
BBM Food Store , East Tamaki Auckland
All goods loaded directly into Tonga-bound containers for distribution by Tongan officials on the ground. Priority will be given to the worst affected islands which are Mango, Atata, Nomuka, Fonoifua.
This is a great start to our relief effort and more support has been pledged by :
37 South Yachts
General Marine Services – GMS
Foodstuffs New Zealand
Gilmours
Friend of the NZ Marine Industry – Sarah Potter
Who are we?
The Pasifika Collective is an ongoing initiative, to extend a helping hand and aid to our communities in need, both here at home in New Zealand and throughout the Pacific.
The New Zealand marine industry, of which we are all active members , is home to a vibrant responsible, connected community and it’s only by engaging this global collective that we can deliver support, kindness, and a smile to the region.
Contact
Mark Donaldson
E. md@thepasifikacollective.org
C. + 64 21 616 407
Isla McKechnie
C. +64 22 406 7058