Category: Child Poverty

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Economy – Fragile and exposed: new report says NZ economy needs a new blueprint, not more band-aids

Source: WEAll Aotearoa New Zealand

Aotearoa New Zealand’s economy is fragile, and we’re all feeling it. Our standard of living is being buffeted by global forces we don’t control and home ownership is slipping out of reach for everyday New Zealanders. Fewer than one in five New Zealanders (17%) believe the next generation will be better off than today. Taken together, decades of short-term thinking have left us dangerously exposed.
Today, the Wellbeing Economy Alliance Aotearoa is releasing Blueprint for Prosperity: 10 missions for a wealthier, more resilient Aotearoa at the Kia Tika, Kia Pono–For a Just Society Conference. A bold, practical roadmap to chart a way to a more resilient future. The Blueprint is clear: our interrelated crises, like the cost of living, housing, inequality, and climate change, share a common root cause. Which is an economic system that was designed in 1984 and hasn’t been fundamentally rethought since. Neoliberalism reshaped who our economy serves and it’s time we redesign it again, with everyday people and the living world at the centre.
Ambitious, yet credible, the Blueprint outlines 10 missions and 33 practical policies to chart the way to a more resilient future. One where Aotearoa is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, not just financially but in true wellbeing and resilience.
Among the 33 practical policies, the Blueprint calls for rebuilding public ownership of the energy sector for greater energy independence and resilience, lifting investment in research and development to make New Zealand one of the world’s smartest economies, putting everyday people back at the heart of local economies through Community Wealth Building, and ensuring the ultra-rich pay their fair share. Recent polling commissioned by WEAll Aotearoa shows two thirds of New Zealanders want the super-rich to contribute more to fund public goods like healthcare, housing, and climate action.
The Blueprint is part of an ongoing conversation about the kind of economy New Zealanders want and need. The next phase will involve interviews with academics, iwi, and community organisations, building towards a comprehensive briefing to the incoming government in 2027, complete with scenarios and pathways to give decision-makers the evidence they need to act with confidence.
Quotes
Gareth Hughes, Director of WEAll Aotearoa, says:
“Right now, our economy is fragile and not fit for the challenges of the 21st century. When global shocks hit, and they will keep coming, we need an economy that can absorb them and protect all of us.”
“Decades of siloed, short-term, bottom of the cliff thinking by politicians has left most of us worse off and our parties now need to think systemically and deliver big change.”
“Our economy is a product of design, which means it can be redesigned. We’ve done it before. The question is whether our politicians have the courage to do it again, and to do it right this time.”
“Our current economic system is myopically focused on GDP growth as the only answer, without thinking smarter about what kind of growth, for whom, and at what cost. In New Zealand, economic growth has been accompanied by rising child poverty and inequality. We grow GDP while eroding the very foundations of long-term prosperity – shifting costs onto future generations, degrading nature, and underinvesting in the capabilities that people and businesses need to thrive. We should instead judge success by the outcomes we actually achieve: lower child poverty, better health and education, affordable homes, a lighter environmental footprint, and an economy that creates good jobs with rising incomes.”
“This is fundamentally about taking a smarter, more common sense approach to the economy. We look around and see that our economy is not working as it should, and we need to have the courage to say when the emperor has got no clothes. Too often, governments have responded to crises with costly band-aids that don’t address the root cause, essentially paying to fix what we continue to break. Our global Failure Demand research found that governments are caught in a cycle of spending money to respond to harms created by an unjust and unsustainable economic system. Those costs are avoidable. Preventing social and environmental damage from happening in the first place should be at the forefront of our approach.”
“There’s a real sense in the community that the track we’re on leads somewhere we don’t want to go. If we keep heading in the current direction, we risk becoming an economy like America where ordinary people are charged ‘user-pays prices’ for everything, like hospital care. That’s not who we are as New Zealanders, and it’s not who we want to become.”
“This is an election year. We are telling our politicians to stop tinkering at the edges, and that big problems need big answers. New Zealanders want to put down roots here, raise families here, grow old here with dignity, so we are demanding our leaders think boldly about the future.”
“The Blueprint for Prosperity gives them the tools to do exactly that. We already know what works. We can build a richer, more resilient economy, we just need the political will to choose it.”

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/04/18/economy-fragile-and-exposed-new-report-says-nz-economy-needs-a-new-blueprint-not-more-band-aids/

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Save the Children responds after four children reportedly killed in Cyclone Maila

Source: Save the Children

Save the Children is deeply saddened that four children are reportedly among 11 people killed in floods and landslides triggered by Cyclone Maila in Papua New Guinea.
Cyclone Maila destroyed homes, roads and bridges, and severely disrupted food supplies as it tracked across parts of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands last week and over the weekend. The Solomon Islands Government has declared a State of Disaster for Western and Choiseul provinces, while the PNG Government said it was waiting for reports from remote communities, but some have suffered extensive damage.
Save the Children is now responding to needs in both countries, including by delivering shelter kits and cash assistance to Bougainville and delivering food and setting up Child Friendly Spaces at evacuation centres in affected areas of Solomon Islands.
The charity also welcomes the Australian Government’s announcement that it will provide an initial $1.5 million to Solomon Islands and $1 million to PNG in humanitarian assistance.
Save the Children Pacific Regional Director Kim Koch said she is devastated for the families affected by this disaster.
“This cyclone has torn through communities, leaving families without homes, food and, tragically, grieving loved ones,” she said. “It is a stark reminder of how exposed children are when cyclones strike. Children are the most vulnerable in disasters and, sadly, often pay the highest price.
“Our teams are working tirelessly and in close collaboration with government to deliver immediate assistance and get children back into safe homes and back to school as soon as possible. We will continue to respond to communities’ needs as the scale of the devastation emerges.”
About Save the Children NZ:
Save the Children works in 120 countries across the world. The organisation responds to emergencies and works with children and their communities to ensure they survive, learn and are protected.
Save the Children NZ currently supports international programmes in Fiji, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Laos, Nepal, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. Areas of work include child protection, education and literacy, disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation, and alleviating child poverty.

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/04/13/save-the-children-responds-after-four-children-reportedly-killed-in-cyclone-maila/

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Housing or Health? It’s an Unacceptable Choice A Quarter of New Zealanders Skipped Medical Care Last Year to Stay Housed

Source: Botica Butler Raudon Partners

New survey of over 5,000 New Zealanders finds housing costs now drive sacrifice
across health, food, and family life.

AUCKLAND – 7 April 2026 – More than one in four New Zealanders delayed medical care last year because of what they pay for housing. One in four skipped meals.

This is a choice faced by ordinary households – renters, moderate-income families, and first-home aspirants – caught in a housing system that consumes too much of their income and offers too few alternatives. It is not limited to people living in extreme poverty.

The second annual New Zealand Housing Survey®, released today by urban strategy consultancy The Urban Advisory (TUA), draws on the experiences of 5,232 New Zealanders surveyed between August 2024 and January 2026. It is the most comprehensive demand-side housing dataset in Aotearoa.

Its findings are unambiguous.

“The sacrifices revealed in this data are not a cost-of-living story. They are an ongoing story about housing system failure,” says Dr Natalie Allen, Co-Founder and Director of TUA. “We are now two years into this survey, and the patterns are not changing. They are hardening.”

What the survey found:

  • 50% of respondents worry they cannot pay for housing in the future.
  • 45% are dissatisfied with the housing options available to them.
  • 27.8% delayed medical appointments because of housing costs.
  • 25.3% skipped meals.
  • 91% say housing costs too much relative to income.
  • 76% rank safety from natural hazards as the most important property feature — above price and outdoor space.

The tenure divide

The survey’s sharpest finding concerns the gap between two types of tenure: owning and renting. While 90% of homeowners feel stable and secure in their housing, only 57% of renters say the same. Renters also report colder and damper homes, lower energy efficiency, and less control over their living conditions.

Critically, the survey finds that New Zealanders are not dissatisfied with renting as a way of living. They are dissatisfied with the quality and insecurity of the rental homes available to them. Renting is a viable tenure option — but only if the product improves.

“Renters are paying more for less,” says Allen. “That is a structural failure with nationwide implications, not a set of unfortunate individual circumstances.”

Deposits, not repayments, lock people out

Using a Residual Income Model which integrates deposit levels, lending constraints, stress-tested rates, and age-adjusted mortgage terms, the survey shows that, while many moderate-income households would be able to afford mortgage repayments, they cannot accumulate a deposit. Although recent OCR cuts have reduced monthly costs, they have done nothing to address the deposit gap.

A demographic shift the market is not ready for

Nearly half (49%) of people planning to retire in the next ten years expect to downsize. Most plan to stay in the region where they currently live. Yet the market offers very few well-located, accessible, compact homes at the quality and price this cohort needs. This is not a niche problem: it is one of the strongest signals of future housing demand in the dataset.

The commercial opportunity

Fifty-two percent of respondents want more secure, long-term rental options. The market delivers almost none at scale. Internationally proven models such as Build-to-Rent, shared equity, cooperative housing, community land trusts, progressive ownership, and new-generation retirement living, remain undersupplied in New Zealand, despite clear and growing demand.

“There is a large and growing segment of demand that the current market is not serving,” says Greer O’Donnell, Co-Founder and Director of TUA. “Diversifying New Zealand’s housing stock is now both a social necessity and a commercial imperative.”

For developers, iwi, councils, government agencies, and investors, the survey data offers a precise evidence base: which typologies are in demand, where, and for whom. The Urban Advisory is using the dataset to reduce risk and align investment with real household need.

Download the survey

You can find the full survey, as well as additional supporting imagery, here: https://www.theurbanadvisory.com/research/the-new-zealand-housing-survey-year-2-survey-results

About The New Zealand Housing Survey®

The New Zealand Housing Survey® is an independently administered, annually repeated national study. The 2026 dataset drew on 5,232 respondents aged 16 and over, surveyed across Aotearoa between August 2024 and January 2026. The survey methodology underwent academic peer review, Te Ao Māori cultural review, and multiple rounds of user testing. All responses are fully anonymised.

About The Urban Advisory

The Urban Advisory is an Aotearoa New Zealand urban strategy consultancy, established in 2016, working with developers, iwi, councils, and government to deliver better housing and urban development outcomes.

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/04/13/housing-or-health-its-an-unacceptable-choice-a-quarter-of-new-zealanders-skipped-medical-care-last-year-to-stay-housed/

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Save the Children – Ceasefire is a first step, but children in Lebanon still under fire

Source: Save the Children

Reports that the US and Iran have agreed to a two-week conditional ceasefire will be a welcome relief for families in the region, who have suffered five weeks of bombing, displacement and terror. However, a ceasefire is still urgently needed in Lebanon and the wider region.
In the hours since the ceasefire was agreed, Israeli military bombing has intensified in Lebanon to some of the worst levels since the conflict began.
This moment must be the start of a definitive ceasefire in Iran, Lebanon and across the wider region to protect children from further harm.
Ahmad Alhendawi, Save the Children’s Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe Regional Director, said:
“There is no doubt that the news of a ceasefire agreement, however incomplete, is welcome; the alternatives being discussed were beyond abhorrent and the potential implications for children were appalling.
“However, this agreement is not enough. We’re urgently calling for a definitive ceasefire for the wider region, which includes Lebanon, to protect children from further harm. Lebanon is still being bombed, with Beirut shaken today by repeated blasts.
“The situation in Lebanon is reaching breaking point, with more than a fifth of the population forced from their homes. Many families have been displaced for the second time in two years, some have no choice but to sleep on the streets or collective shelters. More than 1,500 people in Lebanon have been killed, including more than 130 children and over 450 children injured. Children in Lebanon deserve the same safety as children anywhere in the world.
“The parties to the conflict and the international community must take every step possible to ensure a definitive ceasefire.
“Upholding the rules of war is an obligation, not a choice. Wars have laws and children must be off limits.
“A whole generation of children bears the brunt of this conflict. A definitive ceasefire for the entire regional conflict, including Lebanon, is the only way to truly protect children’s lives and futures and end the suffering.
“The violence must end before more children suffer irreparable harm.”
Save the Children is the world’s largest independent child rights organization, reaching tens of millions of children annually in over 100 countries through its work to save and improve children’s lives.
About Save the Children NZ:
Save the Children works in 120 countries across the world. The organisation responds to emergencies and works with children and their communities to ensure they survive, learn and are protected.
Save the Children NZ currently supports international programmes in Fiji, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Laos, Nepal, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. Areas of work include child protection, education and literacy, disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation, and alleviating child poverty.

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/04/09/save-the-children-ceasefire-is-a-first-step-but-children-in-lebanon-still-under-fire/

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Save the Children deeply concerned for children and families in the Pacific as severe Tropical Cyclone Maila intensifies, the second cyclone to hit the region in days

Source: Save the Children

Communities across Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea are currently facing the threat of Tropical Cyclone Maila, which has been upgraded to a category 5 system, while children and families in Fiji assess the damage left behind by Tropical Cyclone Vaianu. 
Save the Children staff across Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea have been preparing for the arrival of TC Maila and are monitoring the tropical cyclone closely, ready to support children and their communities in affected areas, while staff in Fiji are working to understand the level of damage and needs as the immediate threat of TC Vaianu eases.
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology has warned that once TC Maila has hit Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea, it may move across Queensland’s Cape York Peninsula sometime over the weekend. 
Save the Children Pacific Regional Director, Kim Koch said the current situation unfolding across three Pacific Island nations clearly demonstrates the disaster-prone nature of the region and reaffirms the need to ensure children and their communities are supported in responding to and recovering from multiple disasters.
“In Solomon Islands, we understand the impact of the cyclone has already been felt, with reports of families evacuating their homes and seeking shelter in evacuation centres in parts of Choiseul and Western Province with early reports of damage to buildings, schools and food gardens. 
“The impact of TC Maila is also being felt across the east of Papua New Guinea and Bougainville, with staff on the ground reporting strong gale winds, heavy flooding, severely damaged houses, food sources flooded, and washed-out roads. There are also reports of families evacuating their homes and seeking shelter on higher grounds. 
“While the immediate threat of TC Vaianu has eased, the impacts of the Tropical Cyclone on coastal communities in Fiji is starting to become clear, with the disaster bringing heavy rain, flash flooding and strong winds, potentially damaging key roads and buildings across the impacted regions in the country, many communities will face days if not weeks of recovery ahead.
“As three Pacific Island nations grapple with multiple cyclones simultaneously, children are invariably among the hardest hitand this crisis is no exception, with many having to leave everything behind, including their homes and belongings in search of shelter.
“The reported flooding, landslides and sustained rainfall across the affected countries are likely to cause widespread damage to critical infrastructure including schools, health clinics and homes, leaving children without access to education and urgent medical care. 
“Save the Children stands ready to work alongside communities and governments across the region to do everything we can to meet the urgent needs of children and their families as they face yet another devastating disaster.”
Climate induced disasters disproportionately impact children and young people, particularly as a result of disruption to education and psychosocial trauma associated with ongoing experiences of intensifying disasters. 
In October 2025, Save the Children released a new study warning that the climate crisis and its impacts, such as more frequent and intense cyclones, are making it significantly harder for families across the Pacific to access healthy food, worsening child malnutrition rates across the region.
Save the Children has a long history of responding to emergencies in the Pacific, ensuring we work alongside Pacific governments in the coordination of any response.
About Save the Children NZ:
Save the Children works in 120 countries across the world. The organisation responds to emergencies and works with children and their communities to ensure they survive, learn and are protected.
Save the Children NZ currently supports international programmes in Fiji, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Laos, Nepal, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. Areas of work include child protection, education and literacy, disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation, and alleviating child poverty.

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/04/08/save-the-children-deeply-concerned-for-children-and-families-in-the-pacific-as-severe-tropical-cyclone-maila-intensifies-the-second-cyclone-to-hit-the-region-in-days/

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Universities – Dementia rates pushed up by poverty, says expert – UoA

Source: University of Auckland – UoA

Tackling poverty is the single most important thing New Zealand can do to reduce the number of people with dementia, says University of Auckland’s Dr Etuini Ma’u.

Modelling in Ma’u’s latest research shows if everyone lived in the same wealthy environments as the top 20 percent of New Zealanders, dementia rates would drop by about 19 percent over 30 years.

His research shows a 50 percent higher risk of dementia among people living in the most deprived parts of New Zealand, compared with those in the most affluent areas.

Dementia risk increases across every ethnic group as deprivation rises, says Ma’u, who is a senior lecturer in psychological medicine and a Te Whatu Ora psychiatrist for older people.

Rates of dementia are about 50 percent higher among Māori and Pacific people aged over 60 than among European and Asian New Zealanders of the same age, he says.

The underlying driver of that high dementia rate is poverty. About 35 percent of Māori and Pacific people live in the poorest parts of New Zealand, says Ma’u, who is of Tongan descent.

“Dementia risk isn’t driven by ethnicity – it’s driven by deprivation.

“Māori and Pacific people living in affluent areas have a lower risk of dementia and Europeans living in areas with high deprivation are at higher risk of dementia,” he says.

In 2024, the Lancet published research identifying 14 risk factors for dementia.

Some factors can lead to damage to the brain, such as smoking, obesity, physical inactivity, diabetes, excessive alcohol consumption, hypertension, traumatic brain injury, high LDL cholesterol, and air pollution.

Other risk factors reduce brain stimulation. These include social isolation, untreated vision loss, hearing loss, depression, and less education.

The Lancet stated that dementia could be reduced by up to 45 percent if these 14 risk factors were eliminated.

“Dementia is the end result of incremental and cumulative damage to the brain over a lifetime.

“We think of it as a disease that affects older people, but that’s just when the brain can no longer cope with all the changes sustained over the preceding decades.”

Ma’u says people in poorer communities have higher rates of many of these risk factors.

People living in poorer areas are more likely to be surrounded by businesses selling unhealthy products, such as alcohol, tobacco, vapes, and fast food, that increase their risk of developing dementia, he says.

They also have less access to parks and cycleways that make it easier to exercise regularly.

“We’re all the product of our environment. Where we work, live and play influences our daily behaviours and our ability to make healthy choices.

“It’s time to ditch the idea individuals are responsible for their choices, and bad lifestyle choices lead to bad health.

“There’s an illusion of choice if you’re surrounded by an environment that makes it almost impossible to make healthy lifestyle choices.”

Rather than blaming individuals for making unhealthy choices, change is needed at a political and social level, Ma’u says.

Higher taxes on alcohol, tobacco, sugary drinks and foods that are high in salt or sugar could make a big difference to dementia rates, he says.

Poverty is also a barrier to accessing health services, making it harder for people to get early diagnosis and treatment for conditions that contribute to dementia, and for dementia itself, he says.

Cheaper GP visits and culturally appropriate services for older people could also help bring down dementia rates.

“If we reduced poverty in the population, many risk factors would reduce as well.”

The number of people with dementia in New Zealand is projected to double from 83,000 in 2025 to almost 170,000 by 2050, he says.

The Pacific population in New Zealand is comparatively young, so dementia rates are expected to soar in this group.

The costs of healthcare for dementia are expected to rise from $3 billion in 2025 to $5.9 billion by 2050.

“The only feasible way to reduce these costs is to prevent dementia from occurring.

“If we channel resources into the areas that need it most, that would most effectively reduce dementia risk across New Zealand,” says Ma’u.

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/04/08/universities-dementia-rates-pushed-up-by-poverty-says-expert-uoa/

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Employment and Law – Government settles for the bare minimum when it comes to workers – Unite Union

Source: Unite Union

Unite Union is describing the April 1st minimum wage increase as “the bare minimum,” at a time when working people need real relief.

The new rate of $23.95 remains significantly below the Living Wage, leaving workers struggling to keep up with the rising cost of rent, food, and basic necessities. 

“Cost of Living is the number one issue this election year, and this measly increase will be easily overtaken by inflation and the fuel crisis,” said  Shanna Olsen-Reeder, National Secretary of Unite Union.

“It’s an underwhelming and disrespectful move by the outgoing Minister of Workplace Relations, who continues to aspire to a legacy of slashing the rights of regular working people,” 

“It shouldn’t be a controversial idea that working people deserve wages they can actually live on.”

Christina Barwick, Fast Food worker and Unite Union Co-President, said this government is out of touch with the real issues facing regular working people.

“This is effectively a pay cut, which will not provide much needed relief. I want to see inflation met with a few extra dollars in our pockets, so that workers are not being forced into income poverty,” said Barwick.

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/04/01/employment-and-law-government-settles-for-the-bare-minimum-when-it-comes-to-workers-unite-union/

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Maharlika Consortium Breaks Ground for PHP 2 Billlion Microgrid Investment Powering 12,000 Philippine Homes

Source: Media Outreach

MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Media OutReach Newswire – 31 March 2026 – The Maharlika Consortium, through its Special Purpose Companies Archipelago Renewables Corporation (ARC) and ARC II, in partnership with lead developers WEnergy Global and CleanGrid Partners, announced that it has officially broken ground for its ambitious project, commencing construction on a total of twenty-four (24) new off-grid microgrids, the largest private sector portfolio of its kind in the country. This significant milestone follows the pivotal regulatory approvals granted by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) earlier, paving the way for the largest private sector investment in rural electrification in the Philippines. Representing approximately ₱2.1 billion (US$35 million) in capital investment, this undertaking will bring clean, reliable, 24/7 quality electricity to 11,560 households, benefiting over 50,000 people and local enterprises, across previously unserved or underserved communities in Palawan, Cebu, and Quezon. This builds on the award-winning Sabang Microgrid that the consortium has developed and been operating sine 2019, serving over 600 consumers in the UNESCO Heritage community that hosts the renowned Underground River in Puerto Princesa.

Left Image:

Atem S. Ramsundersingh, Founder and CEO of WEnergy Global

Right Image:

Local officials, consortium partners, and community stakeholders gather for the Hybrid Microgrid Power Plant Groundbreaking Ceremony in Caruray, Palawan. Present are Barangay Captain Bernardo M. Borja, Mayor Ramir Pablico, Quintin Jose V. Pastrana, Atem S. Ramsundersingh, and H.E. Constance See, Ambassador of the Republic of Singapore to the Philippines.


Maharlika Consortium is a recognized leader in microgrid innovation, deploying best-in-class technology that includes advanced solar PV power, high-performance battery storage systems (BESS), intelligent hybrid generation, smart meters, and sophisticated distribution grids to deliver 24/7 clean, affordable, and reliable electricity to residential and commercial consumers.

Awarded following a competitive selection process by the Philippine government under the Qualified Third Party Programme (QTP) and the new Microgrid Service Provider (MGSP) Act, the approved microgrids will deploy a smart, clean, and modern utility-grade power infrastructure. The portfolio will initially deploy 7 MWp Solar PV, BESS totaling 8.0 MWh, efficient diesel capacity of 3.5 MW and a smart power distribution network of 225 km across the three provinces. This ambitious undertaking is expected to generate approximately 300 full-time jobs during the 10-12 month construction period, with 30 permanent positions for operations and maintenance (O&M) and additional part-time sub-contractors for ongoing maintenance works.

This significant milestone underscores the Philippine government’s intensified efforts to fast-track rural electrification projects. These initiatives are propelled through pathways such as the Certified Energy Project of National Significance (CEPNS) designation and inter-agency streamlining, consistent with the respective mandates and authorities of the concerned government agencies, a push acknowledged by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., Energy Secretary Sharon S. Garin and ERC Chairperson Atty. Francis Saturnino C. Juan. Now facing a global oil crisis, more than ever, decentralized and hybrid power infrastructure is the country’s best strategy to increase its energy security. Such hybrid powered microgrids will reduce the burden on fuel subsidies by the government while ensuring business continuity in entire communities, because over 50-60 percent of the power is generated from locally available sunlight.

In Palawan, a province celebrated for its environmental efforts and home to the world-class pioneering Sabang microgrid, the news was warmly received by local leadership. “This program is about creating opportunities, improving lives, and building a brighter future for every San Vicentenian. As we lay the foundation today, we are not only building infrastructure—we are building hope.” said San Vicente Mayor Ramir R. Pablico.

Community leaders and indigenous representatives also expressed strong support for the project, highlighting its long-awaited impact on education, livelihoods, and cultural continuity. “We have been waiting a long time for this project because our community truly wants access to electricity. While I know some of our residents may face challenges in getting connected due to financial constraints, I am confident they will find ways, because they want their children to study well. Reliable lighting will help ensure better education for our community,” said Barangay Captain Alvin J. Marsi of Taburi. “We are grateful to our elders and the Indigenous Political Structure for their support through the entire approval process. Their consent reflects a shared aspiration to advance and develop their community,” said Dina C. Pascual, Municipal Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR). “This project is very meaningful for us. I believe this is not only for our generation, but especially for the children. We hope that access to electricity will encourage our youth to stay, so they can continue to protect and uphold the rights of our indigenous community,” shared Ebredy Orok, an Indigenous community elder, who affirmed that the project has been granted a Free Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) through the National Commission on Indigenos Peoples (NCIP).

Her Excellency Ambassador Constance See of Singapore, who led key dignitaries during the ceremony, underscored the broader significance of the project, highlighting both its development impact and the strength of bilateral cooperation. “This is not just an energy project—it is a development project. Projects like this microgrid strengthen livelihoods, improve access to essential services, and demonstrate how Singapore and the Philippines can work together to deliver practical, lasting benefits for communities.”

Atem S. Ramsundersingh, CEO of WEnergy Global, the pioneering company in hybrid power systems and offgrid microgrids over past 14 years, highlighted the significant opportunity for financiers. “We invite financing institutions to join this movement as lenders, claim real, measurable SDG impact, and gain early access to an approximately US$7 billion off-grid infrastructure market in the Philippines. Our 24-site portfolio is diversified, de-risked, and shovel-ready, now also open for financing of 8 additional sites. We expect to apply for more offgrid microgrid sites in 2026 and beyond and invite national and international investors to join this mission.”

“These approvals and the subsequent groundbreaking validate our approach: building bankable, scaleable microgrids to empower the over 2 million Filipino households that remain unenergized,” added Quintin V. Pastrana, President of Maharlika Clean Power Holdings. “We are grateful to our partners who have sustained their patience and determination to secure the necessary approvals under this new regulatory framework and believe with this experience and more streamlined processes, we can bring in more private sector investment to support the government reach its 100% household energization target within the decade.”

With the groundbreaking successfully completed, construction is now officially underway. While development will proceed in phases, ensuring all DENR clearances, final local government unit permits, and compliance with remaining ERC requirements are meticulously secured, the Maharlika Consortium remains steadfast in its aim to have every community energized by Christmas 2026, bringing 24/7 power to households, schools, barangay health stations, and micro, small, and medium enterprises. These decentralized power infrastructure systems are also opening up opportunities for owners and operators of micro and containerized data centers to co-locate with this decentralized set up and the use of clean energy sources.

Backed by the ERC, DOE and DENR, and with vital support from governors, mayors and barangays clearing rights-of-way and permits, this program marks a decisive shift in how rural electrification gets done in the Philippines: faster, accountable and designed for impact. The Maharlika Consortium is matching that public resolve with WEnergy Global driving disciplined execution, engineering with suppliers and local contractors to deliver fit-for-island components and climate-resilient power networks that withstand typhoons, floods and earthquakes. The objective is specific and measurable: close the energy-poverty gap in our host communities, unlock local jobs and services, and deliver lifetime reliability and value for money.

Hashtag: #MaharlikaConsortium #WEnergy

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/31/maharlika-consortium-breaks-ground-for-php-2-billlion-microgrid-investment-powering-12000-philippine-homes/

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Bridging the Digital Divide: 5G Drives Rural Revitalization in Guangxi, China

Source: Media Outreach

CHONGZUO, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 26 March 2026 – In the karst terrain of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Buhua Village, once a remote and economically underdeveloped community, has been transformed into a popular tourist attraction thanks to a 5G information superhighway co-built by China Mobile and Huawei. This digital leap has established the village as a model of rural revitalization, generating over CNY500,000 in annual collective village income and boosting per capita annual earnings by CNY18,000.

Chongzuo is characterized by impressive karst landforms with peak clusters and peak forests. This breathtaking terrain presents huge challenges for communications network buildout. To overcome these geographic barriers, China Mobile and Huawei have collaborated on technological innovations in a bid to achieve comprehensive network coverage. Today, all administrative villages in Chongzuo have access to 5G networks, while 99% of its natural villages have 4G coverage and 94% have 5G coverage.

Buhua Village is within the jurisdiction of Chongzuo City. The village upgraded its networks from 4G to 5G as early as 2021, offering residents digital services on par with those seen in major cities. The deployment of advanced communications networks has catalyzed the growth of Buhua’s distinctive local industries.

In Xinhe Town, where the village is situated, a digital e-commerce ecosystem has been established, featuring 65 product stores on platforms like JD.com and Douyin, which are collectively owned by the village. Furthermore, a live-streaming incubation base has been established, nurturing 27 local live streamers. These stores secure over CNY300,000 in revenue each year by selling local specialties like Buhua brown sugar. This is a handcrafted product that is recognized as intangible cultural heritage, with a 150% price premium over normal brown sugar. It is sold to tier-1 cities in China, like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, and is even exported overseas, including to Japan and South Korea.

Digital technology is also driving the upgrade of the local tourism industry. China Mobile has established an intelligent ticketing system at the Heishui River, which is Buhua Village’s most popular scenic spot where activities like rafting, boat tours, and paddleboarding are available for tourists. This system has reduced the average time for tourists to purchase tickets from 20 minutes to just 3 minutes, with online purchases now accounting for 30% of the total. Accommodation can also be booked through the system, which has increased the booking rate of local homestays by 30%.

Digitalization has further expanded to the ecological protection field. A safety monitoring and IT system project for modern irrigation engineering along the Heishui River has been launched, with investment totaling CNY100 million. Supported by the Bianjiang Zhizhou open AI platform, the digital monitoring system is set to cover 13 towns across four counties/districts in Chongzuo. Once up and running, it will enable the integrated, real-time monitoring of water quality and other ecological parameters of the Heishui River, and intelligently issue early warnings to guarantee safe water irrigation across 60,000 hectares of farmland in the river basin.

Digitalization has helped Buhua Village make the jump from poverty to prosperity. In 2025, the village’s annual collective economic income (generated from assets, land, or enterprises owned by the village community rather than individuals) exceeded CNY500,000. The average income of every household reached over CNY80,000, three times the average income from traditional sugarcane farming. The annual per capita income of villagers increased by CNY18,000. As a result, an increasing number of young people have chosen to return to the village and develop their careers.

Zhou Peng, General Manager of China Mobile Guangxi’s Chongzuo Branch, said, “By bridging the digital divide, we are helping remote villages like Buhua develop digital trade alongside traditional agriculture. This is transforming resources that were not fully used in the past due to geographical limitations into strong momentum for economic growth in the digital age.”

Tian Yongsheng, Deputy General Manager of Huawei Guangxi, noted, “Huawei is supporting China Mobile in building a solid digital foundation for Chongzuo with innovative solutions. We look forward to seeing technology overcome geographical limitations and enable more remote villages to achieve leapfrog development in the 5G and AI era.”

Hashtag: #Huawei

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/27/bridging-the-digital-divide-5g-drives-rural-revitalization-in-guangxi-china/

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Health Coalition – New report shows communities need better policy support to combat growing food insecurity

Source: Health Coalition Aotearoa

Health Coalition Aotearoa and Healthy Families South Auckland have released a new report highlighting key actions needed to improve access to affordable, nutritious food for communities across South Auckland.
Titled “He kai kei aku ringa – There is food in my hands”, the foundation report responds to rising levels of food poverty in the region and showcase innovative community-led initiatives that are improving access to healthy food.
Following a year-long research process and working with the Māngere community, the solutions needed to improve South Auckland’s food system have been identified in areas of planning and zoning reform, school and food protections, fiscal and regulatory levers, and economic system shift.
These include granting legislative tools to allow Auckland Council to unlock unused or underused public land for community kai initiatives, permanently funding and expanding Ka Ora Ka Ako – Healthy School Lunches Programme possibly through a sugary drinks tax, and giving communities a say in where and how many junk food outlets they want in their neighbourhoods.
Healthy Families South Auckland’s Matt Appleyard says the challenge is to ensure community-led solutions are inter-connected across sectors as these solutions can be platforms for wider change.
“The system analysis in He kai kei aku ringa reveals where we collectively need to strengthen the local food system to make the most impact for communities,” he says.
“Our conclusion is that a coordinated and systems-oriented approach, in combination with targeted national-level and regional-level regulation and policy changes, will rebalance the food system, so everyone thrives. It’s time we stopped looking past food choices as individuals, and instead see they are part of an economic system with shared responsibility.”
Professor Boyd Swinburn from University of Auckland and Health Coalition Aotearoa says New Zealand needs to recognise food insecurity is a major driver in our nation’s problems.
“Aotearoa is an export nation excellent at growing kai – enough to feed 40 million people, in fact. And yet we have 42% of children in South Auckland regularly going hungry, which clearly isn’t primarily caused by the 5% unemployment rate. We must debunk the narrative that our nation’s food issues are about parents not working hard enough.”
He is calling for collaborative action across local and central government to allow communities’ energy and innovation for local food systems to thrive, while also limiting the dominance of the industrial food system and its promotion of unhealthy food.
“Many of the solutions are well-known – like more community gardens on unused public land and removing junk food advertising from Auckland Council and Auckland Transport contracts, and within 500 metres of schools.”
Swinburn says He kai kei aku ringa provides the solutions, and Health Coalition Aotearoa is seeking partnership with organisations to progress the findings.
“What we’re seeking now is show of hands from those bold enough to tackle New Zealand’s food issues. The community has provided some feasible solutions. Now we want to implement change.”
The reports were commissioned by Health Coalition Aotearoa and Healthy Families South Auckland, and developed by Moana Connect, with support from Toi Tangata, Clare Foundation, the University of Auckland, JR McKenzie Trust, and MAS Foundation.
Read the foundation report at www.healthcoalition.org.nz/resources

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/26/health-coalition-new-report-shows-communities-need-better-policy-support-to-combat-growing-food-insecurity/

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Felix Y. Manalo Foundation: How Education-Focused Humanitarian Programs Break Cycles Of Poverty

Source: Media Outreach

MANILA, PHILIPPINES – ACCESS Newswire – 25 March 2026 – Poverty is possibly the most significant limiting factor in terms of access to learning, healthcare, and economic mobility. In less-advantaged communities, education-centered humanitarian programs are necessary to address these constraints.

The Felix Y. Manalo Foundation operates at the forefront of these initiatives by building practical skills, supporting youth development, and strengthening community capacity. In its role as a catalyst for long range social progress, it incorporates academic support, volunteer service, and community outreach within its broader humanitarian mission.

Expanding Access to Learning Resources

For many low-income households, limited access to books, digital tools, and structured learning environments remains a major hindrance to growth and development. Through its educational outreach programs, organizations such as the Felix Y. Manalo Foundation provide learning materials, organize community-based activities, and support youth engagement initiatives that reinforce academic participation.

These efforts can greatly reduce disparities that commonly exist between urban and underserved communities. By providing students with consistent access to educational resources, the foundation helps improve attendance, increase confidence, and pave the way for long-term career paths.

Integrating Skills Development With Community Service

The Felix Y. Manalo Foundation’s approach to education extends beyond classroom instruction, delving into practical experience that encourages problem-solving and teamwork. Program participants have the opportunity to join service projects that introduce responsibility, planning, and communication.

The foundation also implements environmental programs, food distribution activities, and local outreach events, all of which provide structured opportunities for applied learning. By integrating mentorship with volunteer guidance, the organization teaches participants valuable, transferable skills. Consequently, the programs foster workforce readiness while strengthening civic awareness and social responsibility.

Stabilizing Families Through Supportive Outreach

Organizations such as the NIH attest to the beneficial impact of household stability on student performance and long-term educational attainment. Food assistance initiatives, health awareness programs, and community support events can all reduce financial strain and promote well-being among disadvantaged families.

The Felix Y. Manalo Foundation’s coordinated food donation programs and volunteer engagement activities in Canada demonstrate how relief efforts enhance household resilience. By addressing basic needs alongside educational outreach, the organization helps develop environments where children can focus on learning rather than worry about their immediate survival.

Operational Discipline and Program Sustainability

The Felix Y. Manalo Foundation’s community service amply demonstrates the value of structured planning, transparent governance, and reliable volunteer coordination. To ensure sustainable impact, accountability has always been core to the organization’s project management, financial stewardship, and compliance practices.

The foundation’s training frameworks are designed to ensure consistent service quality and reinforce ethical standards. Through its organizational oversight, the organization fosters donor confidence and maintains continuous improvement in its education-focused programs.

Through its various education-centred humanitarian programs, the Felix Y. Manalo Foundation directly contributes to economic mobility by improving home stability, increasing community participation, and strengthening individual capability. By integrating learning access with service engagement and operational accountability, the organization ensures the community’s long-term development is measurable and scalable.

Structured educational outreach, volunteer leadership development, and responsible governance are among the practical measures implemented by the Felix Y. Manalo Foundation. Each is one of many ways the organization aims to break cycles of intergenerational poverty while supporting inclusive community growth.

Hashtag: #FelixY.ManaloFoundation

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/26/felix-y-manalo-foundation-how-education-focused-humanitarian-programs-break-cycles-of-poverty/

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This World Water Day: Clean Water Is More Than Survival — It’s a Pathway to Women’s Empowerment – World Vision

Source: World Vision

  • A quarter of the world’s population don’t have access to safe drinking water
  • Women and girls are especially impacted, with some walking up to 15 kilometres for water 
  • World Vision aims to reach 30 million people with clean water by 2030. 

This World Water Day, World Vision New Zealand is putting the spotlight on the global water crisis as a quarter of the world’s population still cannot access safe drinking water.  

More than 2 billion people globally lack access to safe drinking water, with women and girls bearing the greatest burden. In some communities, women walk up to 15 kilometres a day to collect water — a task that can consume hours and limit their opportunities for education, work and participation in community life.

World Vision New Zealand International Partnerships Director Stephen Court says it is unacceptable that so many people are still denied access to such a basic human right.

“It’s unacceptable that in 2026 a quarter of the world’s population still doesn’t have access to safe drinking water. Clean water is a basic human right, yet millions of families are forced to live without it.

Without safe water, disease spreads, children miss school, and women are prevented from participating fully in work and community life. It traps families in a cycle of poverty that should no longer exist.”

New World Vision research in Guatemala, Honduras, Kenya, and Zimbabwe, finds that combining water access with behaviour change and economic empowerment activities can create lasting impact.  

This family-centred approach integrates water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services with financial literacy training, savings groups, livelihood support, and engagement around social norms.

Court says when this approach is adopted women report higher personal income and household savings, greater participation in financial decisions, increased confidence, and stronger leadership within their communities.  

He highlights the changes seen in Rumate, Kenya, where women once walked up to four hours a day to collect water, often returning with only a fraction of what their families needed.  

After a borehole was installed in the community, women no longer had to spend hours collecting water and instead had time to pursue income-generating activities. Many formed savings groups, which enabled them to start small businesses and invest in their families.

“Access to safe water didn’t just meet a basic need — it unlocked opportunity,” says Court.

“When safe water is close to home, women gain something incredibly valuable: time. That time can be used to earn an income, participate in community life and invest in their families’ futures.”

The impact extends far beyond individual households.

“In many communities, the time women and girls spend collecting water goes unseen and undervalued. When safe water is accessible, women gain time, income opportunities and a stronger voice in their households and communities.

World Vision reaches one new person with clean water every 10 seconds, and we are aiming to reach 30 million people with clean water between 2023 and 2030.”

Court says this World Water Day, the message is clear:  “Safe water is about far more than survival. It is the foundation for dignity, equality, and opportunity. When women gain access to clean water, they gain time, income, and influence — and entire communities thrive.”

 

New Zealanders who want to help ensure children have access to safe drinking water can support World Vision through its Gift Catalogue, which includes the option to provide clean water for a child: https://www.worldvision.org.nz/give-now/smiles-gift/#/product/smiles-clean-water-for-a-child

 

Notes

Key stats and findings can be found in the Beyond Access research. 

 

Video from Rumate, Kenya:  
How women transformed their village - here  

 

About World Vision   
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organisation dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender.  

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/18/this-world-water-day-clean-water-is-more-than-survival-its-a-pathway-to-womens-empowerment-world-vision/

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ChildFund – Just Hours From NZ – Women Still Fight for Basic Rights

Source: ChildFund New Zealand

Too many women in our shared home of the Pacific still struggle to access clean water for their families.
“It’s the 21st century, and yet only hours away from New Zealand, women have to watch their children get sick, or worse, from contaminated water. They have to prioritise finding clean water instead of focusing on earning an income or building a future,” says CEO of ChildFund New Zealand Josie Pagani.
“Clean water has a domino effect. Get that right, and development across the whole Pacific will improve.”
Nearby Pacific nations continue to face barriers to health, including access to clean water. Women and their children often walk for hours to collect and boil unsafe water, a time-consuming and exhausting task.
“This is a practical problem that can be solved if we just come together as donors, businesses and aid charities to make it happen.
“At ChildFund we believe New Zealand could make sure every child in the Pacific has access to clean water by 2036, if we stick to this clear target and work together.”
ChildFund New Zealand has partnered with Pacific communities for many years, as well as supporting women and children in places like Ukraine and Gaza, Sri Lanka and Africa. As part of a global ChildFund alliance, it reaches over 36 million people in 70 countries.
Access to clean water is a global issue:
  • 1 in 4 people worldwide still lack access to safe drinking water. ( WHO)
  • Women and girls collect water in about 7 out of 10 households without water on the premises. ( WHO)
  • Globally, women and girls spend 250 million hours per day collecting water. ( UN Water)
  •  Over 1 billion women globally lack access to safely managed drinking water services. ( UN) 
“Thanks to our supporters, we provided access to clean drinking water for 4,309 people across the world last year. What makes a real difference is that when donations go to water projects, every dollar is matched by five dollars from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” says Josie Pagani.
Solar-powered water purification units, costing only $250 each, plus desalination tanks, and water tanks have been introduced in remote Pacific communities in the outer islands across the Pacific.
“Gender equality is not an abstract thing. It’s about everyday rights: clean water, good health, economic security for women and their children.
“When communities have the basics sorted, like clean water, women are free to realise their potential, earn a living. All of which helps to lift their communities out of poverty.”
“Clean water changes everything. So on this International Women’s Day, let’s roll out more water projects to women and children across our own region,” says Josie Pagani.
For more information about ChildFund New Zealand’s work in the Pacific and how women and communities are leading their own change, visit childfund.org.nz.

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/08/childfund-just-hours-from-nz-women-still-fight-for-basic-rights/

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Ki Tua O Matariki Warns Government That “Move-On” Powers Targeting Homeless Whānau will have negative consequences

Source: Ki tua o Matariki

Ki Tua O Matariki Warns Government That “Move-On” Powers Targeting Homeless Whānau will have negative consequences
Ki Tua o Matariki strongly encourages the Government to reconsider the expansion of “Move-on Orders” under amendments to the Summary Offences Act, which would allow Police to direct people to leave public spaces nationwide and impose penalties for non-compliance.
Under the proposed changes, individuals who breach a move-on order could face fines of up to $2,000 or up to three months’ imprisonment. These powers are expected to apply across town centres and may impact rangatahi as young as 14.
Ki Tua o Matariki does not want to see the Government make decisions it may later regret. The long-term consequences of punishing whānau in need risk creating mistrust, causing whānau to withdraw from visibility and support, and allowing their needs to deepen. We remain committed to supporting the Government to make decisions that uplift and protect our whānau and communities, and to ensure policies do not unintentionally cause further harm.
“From our experience, punishing people who cannot afford necessities such as housing, food, or transport does not reduce homelessness- it deepens fear and mistrust,” says Zoe Witika-Hawke, Chief Executive of Ki Tua o Matariki. “For whānau to engage in support, trust must come first. Pushing people further into the criminal justice system moves them away from the very support that enables long-term wellbeing. Evidence shows that prison does not resolve homelessness, addiction, or mental health challenges. We welcome the opportunity to work alongside Government and communities to implement solutions that strengthen whānau and create the Aotearoa we all want.”
Māori are disproportionately affected by homelessness in Aotearoa. Severe Housing Deprivation estimates from the 2023 Census show tens of thousands of people experiencing homelessness or unstable housing conditions, with Māori significantly over-represented in rough sleeping, overcrowding, and insecure housing. Māori women are particularly impacted, with sector research indicating four out of five homeless women in Aotearoa are Māori.
This amendments of the Summary Offences Act, reflects a concerning assumption that people sleeping rough have somewhere else to go,” says Hineraukura, founding member of the Māori maternal mental health advisory group Hine Ki Te Wheiao. “It prioritises public comfort over addressing the structural drivers of homelessness, including inflation, rising living costs, and housing insecurity. Treating homelessness as a behavioural issue rather than a systemic one risks ignoring the economic realities many whānau are facing. We believe the focus must shift toward practical, compassionate solutions that respond to the real pressures impacting our communities”
Any policy that increases enforcement without increasing housing supply and wraparound support risks disproportionately impacting whānau and deepening inequities already present in our system. At Ki Tua o Matariki, we see firsthand that homelessness is rarely about choice. It is connected to poverty, intergenerational trauma, mental health challenges, addiction, and systemic inequity. Our communities – Māori and non-Māori – deserve better.
Ki Tua o Matariki provides tailored tautoko for mātua taiohi, hapū māmā, their pēpi, and wider whānau. Alongside safe housing, we provide:
– Mental health support
– Transport assistance
– Counselling access
– Education and employment pathways
– Nursing and midwifery care
– Kaupapa Māori wānanga
– Weekly wraparound support
We know what works: stability, trusted relationships, cultural grounding, and consistent support.
Ki Tua o Matariki remains committed to supporting the Government to make decisions that strengthen whānau wellbeing and community safety, while ensuring policies do not unintentionally cause further harm. “Move-on” powers are not solutions to homelessness. Solutions lie in investing in housing, prevention, and culturally grounded wraparound support. We encourage the Government to prioritise policies that care for whānau, rather than moving them out of sight – these are the kinds of policies that Government will not regret.
Our communities deserve public policy grounded in manaakitanga, not punishment.

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/26/ki-tua-o-matariki-warns-government-that-move-on-powers-targeting-homeless-whanau-will-have-negative-consequences/

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Increasing household income offset by higher housing costs in year to June 2025 – Household income and housing-cost statistics: Year ended June 2025 – Stats NZ news story and information release

Source: Statistics New Zealand

Increasing household income offset by higher housing costs in year to June 2025 – news story
26 February 2026

Household income increased at a slightly higher rate than housing costs in the year ended June 2025, according to data released by Stats NZ today.

Average weekly household disposable income increased from $1,977.70 to $2,077.70 in the 12 months to June 2025, up 5.1 percent from the previous year (not adjusting for inflation).

Housing costs also increased between June 2024 and June 2025, for households with housing expenditure, the average weekly cost for housing increasing from $457.90 in 2024 to $478.00 in 2025, up 4.4 percent.

“While household income increased in the year ended June 2025, increasing housing costs meant households were spending a similar proportion of their income on housing as the previous year,” household financial statistics spokesperson Victoria Treliving said.

Follow the links for full information release and to download CSV files:

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/26/increasing-household-income-offset-by-higher-housing-costs-in-year-to-june-2025-household-income-and-housing-cost-statistics-year-ended-june-2025-stats-nz-news-story-and-informati/

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SUDAN: Children killed on first day of Ramadan must spur urgent action to protect every child – Save the Children

Source: Save the Children

As families across Sudan marked the first day of Ramadan, children were reportedly among those killed in renewed violence, underscoring the urgent need for international action to protect children after nearly three years of war, Save the Children said.
At least 18 people, including children, were killed on Wednesday when a drone strike hit a water collection point in Umm Rusum village, located in Al-Sunut locality of West Kordofan State, according to local media .The latest deaths came as a United Nations fact-finding mission said that atrocities committed in El-Fasher in Darfur bore the hallmarks of genocide, with the report documenting widespread and systematic attacks against civilians, including women and children.
Save the Children said urgent action is needed to protect civilians especially children, with Sudan’s children remain trapped in a relentless war that has shattered communities, caused the world’s largest displacement crisis impacting 15 million people, and pushed families to the brink of famine.
Francesco Lanino, Deputy Country Director of Programmes and Operations for Save the Children in Sudan, said: “Ramadan should be a time of peace, reflection and family. Instead, children in Sudan are being killed in their homes and in places where they should be safe. No child should ever pay the price for a conflict they did not create.
“Reports from the UN about the scale of atrocities in El Fasher should shock the conscience of the world. Children are not only caught in the crossfire but in many cases, they are directly targeted or suffer the long-term consequences of displacement, hunger and trauma. At the very least parties to the conflict must commit to an immediate ceasefire during the holy month of Ramdan, allowing families to observe this sacred period in safety and dignity. This should serve as first step toward a sustained and meaningful cessation of hostilities.
“Sudan’s children cannot wait. The international community must move beyond statements of concern and take concrete action to protect children’s lives, uphold international law and ensure those responsible for atrocities are held to account.”
Save the Children has worked in Sudan since 1983 and is currently supporting children and their families across Sudan providing health, nutrition, education, child protection and food security and livelihoods support. 
About Save the Children NZ:
Save the Children works in 120 countries across the world. The organisation responds to emergencies and works with children and their communities to ensure they survive, learn and are protected.
Save the Children NZ currently supports international programmes in Fiji, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Laos, Nepal, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. Areas of work include child protection, education and literacy, disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation, and alleviating child poverty.

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/23/sudan-children-killed-on-first-day-of-ramadan-must-spur-urgent-action-to-protect-every-child-save-the-children/

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NZ-funded chatbot to support Ukrainian children’s mental health after four years of war – World Vision

Source: World Vision

This week as Ukraine marks the grim anniversary of four years of war and a growing mental health crisis, World Vision New Zealand is funding a digital chatbot to help caregivers support children living through conflict.

Four years of armed combat, bombings, and death have scarred children and nearly 85% of households report psychosocial distress among children, with nearly one-third of under-fives showing visible signs of anxiety and trauma [i]

World Vision New Zealand Acting Head of Fragile and Developing Contexts, Andy Robinson, says the impact of the war on children will last generations.

“Children in Ukraine are growing up feeling unsafe and scared.  Many have been separated from their fathers, and many will have witnessed death and violence at close quarters.

“We’re seeing high levels of post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression and other mental health issues.  Professional mental health services are limited and families are overwhelmed.   World Vision hopes that this digital chatbot will give parents practical ways to support their children’s mental health and wellbeing right now,” he says.

The Parenting in Crisis Chatbot, locally named Batkivska Opora, is a digital tool that provides Ukrainian caregivers with evidence-based guidance on child protection, psychosocial support, and positive parenting amid the ongoing war.

In partnership with Parenting for Lifelong Health, it delivers practical, culturally-adapted guidance via messaging platforms using text, audio, illustrations, and short videos, and provides strategies for stress management, positive parenting, and child protection.

Its flexible, low-bandwidth format ensures access, even in remote or low-connectivity areas.

“This is not a replacement for professional care, but it will help parents who are already struggling with displacement, lost jobs, reduced income, and ongoing security concerns who tell us that they don’t have the resources to support their children effectively,” Robinson says.

A recent World Vision report found that access to protection and mental health services was extremely limited in Ukraine with only 28% of households reporting that they are able to access services from NGOs or UN agencies, leaving 72% without child protection or mental health support at a time of heightened vulnerability.[ii]

The chatbot will initially be trialled with around 500 parents before being scaled-up to reach thousands and complements World Vision’s other work to support children and families in Ukraine. 

World Vision’s Ukraine Response Director, Arman Grigoryan, says children and families are currently suffering not only the perils of war, but of an extremely cold winter.

“Winter intensified the risk facing children.  It compounds learning loss, emotional distress, and protection concerns all at once.  When power cuts disrupt schooling and displacement interrupts in-person education, children suffer and lose stability.  Children and families in Ukraine need extra support in winter – it is a life-saving intervention,” he says.

More than half of families report disruption to their children’s education. A quarter of children are unable to attend school due to unsafe conditions, and a third cannot access online learning because of power outages.[iii]

As Ukraine enters another winter at war, World Vision New Zealand is calling on New Zealanders to help expand support for children and families facing prolonged trauma.

To help support Ukrainian children, visit www.wvnz.org.nz/CHR

Notes:  

World Vision New Zealand is a children’s charity working to overcome poverty and injustice so that children can build a brighter future.  World Vision works to support the most vulnerable children in more than 100 countries around the world.

World Vision has been working in Ukraine since the war began in 2022 and in that time has supported more than 2.3 million people, including more than one million children.  World Vision has provided food, non-food items, cash assistance, protection, education, livelihoods, and mental health support.  We operate in 22 of Ukraine’s 24 regions and continue to deliver both immediate relief and long-term recovery programmes.

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/23/nz-funded-chatbot-to-support-ukrainian-childrens-mental-health-after-four-years-of-war-world-vision/

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Fatal dog mauling: Animal control staff visited property day before attack

Source: Radio New Zealand

Police at the scene of the fatal attack. RNZ

Animal control officers visited the property where Mihiata Te Rore was mauled to death four times, including the day before the attack.

Te Rore, 62, was visiting a person she knew at a property in the small Northland town of Kaihu when she was attacked and killed on Tuesday.

Police say the three dogs involved lived at the property.

Te Rore is the third person to be killed by dogs in Northland in the past four years, sparking calls for more to be done by local and central government to deal with the growing problem.

Police have been at the taped-off home where Te Rore died on Tuesday.

In a statement, Kaipara District Council said there had been four complaints about the dogs in November, December and this week, and had responded to each request on the same day.

“Staff visited the property on multiple occasions to attempt to speak to the owner, including reaching out to family and iwi liaison. When the dogs were seen they were on the property.

“In December staff managed to speak with the owner about compliance and keeping the dogs secure, including consequences if this did not occur. In February they visited the property twice, including the day before, but were unable to talk to the owner or uplift the dogs.”

The council said there had also been “multiple” proactive patrols in the area, looking for any loose dogs, including a door knock of every property along Kaihu Wood Road (no loose dogs were sighted during these patrols).

“Dog owners are responsible for their dogs – they have a legal responsibility to look after and control their animals but we also acknowledge that council’s animal control plays an important role in managing risks in the community. Our staff work with dog owners across the district every single day and are devastated that any such incident, in this case on private property, has occurred in Kaipara.

“We have a very small but extremely passionate team covering the whole of the district, and in their role they deal with a wide range of owners and dogs daily, often in complex and challenging situations.”

It said its animal management team was investigating the incident.

“The three dogs were secured after the event and have been impounded, and will be destroyed as soon as police have finished their investigation.”

‘All four have pack attacked my dog’

A local – who RNZ has agreed not to name – said authorities were warned in the past year about issues with the dogs.

He has had his own experience with the four dogs he says live at the property.

“They’ve actually come onto my property and attacked my dog,” he said.

“They pack attacked him, all four have pack attacked my dog, and that was just over six months ago.”

Like many in the community, he was frightened.

“It is quite stressful because you don’t even know if you’re going to get attacked and for me, I’ve got to go out my drive to get to my letterbox, and you don’t know whether the dogs are around the corner,” the man said.

“It’s really quite frightening.”

The man said Tuesday’s attack should never have happened.

“There were so many warnings before that happened and nothing had been done,” he said.

“I can’t believe that people are ringing dog control and yet nothing had been done.”

Statistics from the Kaipara District Council showed the number of dogs impounded by the council more than doubled over the four years from 2021 to 2025.

In the period from July 2022 to July 2025, there were 174 call-outs for dog attacks, but only one person was prosecuted in the same period.

RNZ asked the council to comment on these figures, but have not received a response.

The Kaipara District Council promoted cycle trails in the Kaihu area where Te Rore was killed.

Three years ago, Mike Wespel-Rose was biking on a track from Dargaville to Russell with his wife, when the pair were chased by dogs from a nearby property north of Whangārei.

“They were chasing us, and chasing us, it went on for quite a few minutes.”

“They jumped up on my wife’s bike […] we didn’t dare stop because God knows what we might’ve faced, so we just rode like crazy, very fearful about what might happen,” he said.

Wespel-Rose said the dog issue in the north is a symptom of wider problems with crime and poverty.

“It needs more resourcing doesn’t it, so that it can be dealt with more fully,” he said.

“It’s a tough one.”

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon described Te Rore’s death as unacceptable, and said the council needed to act.

“I would expect that within seven days that the Kiapara District Council is taking action and going after the dogs, and packs of dogs that are out there,” he said.

“Just imagine being a mum with a young baby, or young toddlers, and the anxiety that that causes.”

Push to reform laws ignored

However, Auckland Council’s Animal Management said its push for the government to reform dog control laws over the past year had fallen on deaf ears.

Elly Waitoa from the council’s animal management department said she was shocked that as recently as Tuesday morning, the government had told them they were not considering changes to the dog control act.

Meanwhile, police have said they want to hear from anyone in the Kaihu community who has had issues with dogs roaming in the area.

Detective Senior Sergeant Shane Pilmer said the dogs involved were now with Animal Management.

“This was a very upsetting and tragic event in which a woman has suffered unsurvivable injuries,” he said.

“I know the community will have a lot of questions; our investigation is still in the early stages and our focus is on establishing all the facts in this case.”

‘It’s almost become normalised’

Liz Woodward, a trustee of the Best Dog Trust – which provides free desexing for dogs in Kaipara, Whangarei and Wellsford – told Checkpoint the number of animals was overwhelming.

“We’ve had a dog applied for desexing just yesterday, she had 11 puppies. That’s really common, just the sheer number of dogs and lack of affordability of vet care, and also people being able to get to vets,” she said.

“For Kaihu residents it’s 90 kilometres to get a vet in Whangarei for desexing, so it’s no easy undertaking.”

She said the price was also prohibitive.

“It ranges from about $350 for a vet in Whangarei that’s low cost, the vets we deal with in Kaipara and Wellsford are more expensive,” she explained.

“We recently desexed a 56 kilo dangerous female, and she would have cost the owner over $1200.”

Woodward said aggressive behaviour from pet dogs had become normalised in Northland.

“Probably in most communities in Northland there’s an understanding within your community that there are certain dogs on certain streets or in certain areas that you just don’t get too close to,” she said.

“It’s really disheartening to hear of tourists on our cycle trails, trying to enjoy our beautiful countryside, being chased by dogs. It’s almost become normalised up here.”

“I can’t even begin to explain how big the dog issue is for Northland.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/18/fatal-dog-mauling-animal-control-staff-visited-property-day-before-attack/