Thousands of Pasifika students affected by the Auckland Level-4 Lockdown face a significant barrier to learning from lack of access to digital devices and wi-fi.
To address this problem Eteroa Lafaele, a recipient of the Prime Minister's Pacific Youth Science (STEM) Award, has started DigiTautua, a charitable initiative which aims to raise money to provide laptops to Pasifika students in need.
Ms Lafaele said since last year's nationwide lockdown, there's been an ongoing need in Māori and Pasifika communities to provide students with devices, so they can continue their education.
Eteroa Lafaele Photo: Digitautua
"A laptop is $400-$500, rent is $400-$500 a week too. If you had to choose it would be rent over a laptop."
DigiTautua's first focus is in South Auckland, where they will work in partnership with the Otara Kai Village initiative. Already more than 700 students have requested devices.
In less than a week DigiTautua's 'Give a Little' page has raised nearly $40,000 towards a goal of raising $350,000 to provide devices to those in need.
DigiTautua team about to deliver laptops out to students Photo: DigiTautua
The charity has already distributed over 30 laptops, and Ms Lafaele hopes that the Government takes heed of their work as a sign of the degree of need in the community.
"We dropped off laptops to families in emergency homes too and it reminded us rest of us in the motu how lucky we are, let alone have food on the table."
Preparing laptops to go out to Pasifika students Photo: DigiTautua
Data from the Ministry of Education estimated that up to 8000 year 9-13 students were in need of a device for schoolwork. The data also showed that prior to the Delta Variant outbreak up to 80,000 households were without an internet connection.
Julia Arnott-Neenee, Co-Founder of People for the People an organisation campaigning for digital equity in New Zealand, has also spoken out on this issue:
"It takes a village you know. This cannot be done by just one network or one group. It has to be a co-ordinated effort by a lot of different people who hold power in different ways and at different levels. That is what we really hope for and see that power of collaboration come to life in order to better serve our communities."
She said she was still waiting to hear back from government.
Julia Arnott-Neenee Photo: University of Canterbury
Greg Pierce, principal of Orewa College and former principal of Aorere College in Mangere, describes the issue as complex and linked to poverty:
DigiTautua, a charitable initiative which aims to raise money to provide laptops to Pasifika students in need. Photo: DigiTautua
Despite the government providing thousands of devices, there's concern still hundreds of students are still being missed.
"What Covid has done is expose inequities throughout our communities and society," he said.
The Ministry of Education declined an interview but a spokesperson provided this statement:
"Since lockdown began we've distributed over 10,000 laptops and chromebooks, on top of the over 36,000 devices in 2020. This year 56% have gone to Auckland households. Last year devices were sent directly to students, but this year we've mostly distributed them to schools as schools said students would get devices faster."
