Offers of help pour in after Moerewa nan shares her story

Moerewa grandmother Kathleen is over the moon because more children have sponsorship after she shared her story. Photo/Michael Cunningham

Offers of help have been pouring in after a Moerewa nan shared her story about the struggles of raising four mokopuna.

Last month Kathleen, who has been looking after her four mokopuna for the past five years, told the Northern Advocate about how Variety - the Children's Charity's Kiwi Kid Sponsorship programme had allowed her to pay for things she wouldn't usually be able to afford, like new clothes and school trips.

Since sharing her story - which went national - 18 children have been removed from Variety's waiting list thanks to new sponsors, with five of those kids from Northland.

"I'm over the moon. It's great I helped in some way, even for other families," Kathleen said.

Variety's programme allows people to sponsor disadvantaged kids in New Zealand.

Two of Kathleen's grandchildren were already sponsored and her granddaughter was on the waiting list. But since sharing her story her granddaughter has also received sponsorship.

"A couple of days after [it was in the Advocate] people were ringing me asking to sponsor so I got them to go through Variety. I had six from this area contacting me. It was a shock," she said.

One mum who has benefited from the boost in sponsorships is Kaitāia mother of four Reiner. She's found it tough since her children's dad passed away earlier this year.

She is juggling part-time study with being a mum following her kids around with the various sports and activities they're involved with.

"It impacted on us big time," she said.

Reiner said two of her children received sponsorship earlier this year and she found out the other two had also been sponsored since Kathleen's story appeared.

"It will make a world of difference being able to give to them the things that they need without having to struggle to do it," she said.

Reiner said all of her kids - aged from 6 to 14 - are sporty and academically driven. They all play basketball with the eldest two in rep teams, and they also all do waka ama.

With sports come extra costs. Reiner said every week she has to weigh up what purchases are the most important.

"It's absolutely heartbreaking to say no to them. I have to keep their mind distracted so that they're not having to give up what they enjoy doing."

Reiner said she hasn't accessed any funding before as she wanted to wait until all four kids were sponsored.

Now that they are, she's hoping it will relieve some of the financial pressure.

To find out more about Variety, and to sponsor a child in need, visit: www.variety.org.nz.