Helping Gisborne Pasifika into their own homes

OWN HOMES: A service to help Pasifika whānau become homeowners opened its doors in Gisborne this week. Pictured outside the new office is Siaola Gisborne's head of financial services Susan Prescott (left) and Siaola board chair, Tevita Finau. Picture by Rebecca Grunwell

A service which helped seven Gisborne Pasifika whānau become home owners last year opened a branch in the CBD this week.

Vahefonua Tonga Methodist Mission Charitable Trust (SIAOLA) — a social service committed to empowering, strengthening and supporting Tongan families to thrive, be successful and safe — opened its first branch dedicated to financial well-being in central Gisborne.

It was inaugurated through a blessing ceremony this week (December 21) where in attendance were the mayor, real estate agents, kaumatua, tangata whenua and community leaders from different Tongan churches.

Pauli Ma'afu QSM, who co-founded Pacific Islanders Community Trust in 1989 was present at the inauguration ceremony.

Mr Ma'afu said it was a very happy occasion for the Gisborne community.

“Pasifika people will benefit from Siaola when they look at buying a house. The team here will make everything simple to understand through their financial literacy skills.”

Siaola Gisborne head of financial services Susan Prescott said they had helped seven families become home wners in Gisborne in the past year.

“We opened this branch here so that Pasifika community can get into a better financial situation through budgeting, having a savings plan and financial literacy — all the tools people need for buying a home.

“This branch is the very first one in Gisborne. A year ago I did a presentation here (Gisborne) and I worked out that a lot of families needed a service to help with their financial wellbeing.

“We were lucky to get some funding from the Ministry of Pacific Peoples for the office and staff.

“We have hired two new staff for Gisborne because it is really busy here. Many people are signing up for the service.”

Ms Prescott said all the families she had worked with had money but had no guidance in how to use it to their benefit.

“It is a free service and it's open to everyone in the wider community.

“We want pasifika people to come to us and get the help when they need to.”

Siaola Board chair Tevita Finau said the trust wanted families in Gisborne to take control of their own destiny rather than be controlled by a financial institution.

“Of course you need them (banks) but not to control you.

“It's about liberating people from poverty by making them realise their potential — education of health and other social issues.

“We are very happy to receive so much support from Gisborne community.

“Our original strategic plan was to set up offices in other areas but people in Gisborne have been the most responsive.

“We felt it was fair to establish first in Gisborne and then in other places like Wellington, Christchurch or Dunedin.”