When a volcanic eruption and tsunami in January devastated the small Island nation of Tonga, it destroyed homes, crops were damaged by the high level of ash and stones, and waterways became undrinkable. Members of the local Tongan Church congregation were concerned for their families back home.

When a volcanic eruption and tsunami in January devastated the small Island nation of Tonga, it destroyed homes, crops were damaged by the high level of ash and stones, and waterways became undrinkable. Members of the local Tongan Church congregation were concerned for their families back home.

A single shipping container was arranged to be sent from Auckland but it allowed only one barrel of items per family. Napier locals chose to send their own container and asked for support from the community. Trinity Methodist Church, Ahuriri Club and other community groups and local retailers including Pak’nSave rallied behind the appeal for donations toward the purchase of items to construct a water-gathering system and storage tanks, along with water, food, clothes and bedding.

Once donations came in, local women packed barrels with items specifically selected for each of their extended families. The men then loaded the barrels into a container and at the end of March it was ready for shipping. It arrived in Tonga at Easter and was distributed under strict Covid protocols to each recipient family.

Tongan culture requires gifts to be shared amongst families. However, as the original gifting took place here in New Zealand and had already been ‘shared’ by the local family, when the goods arrived in Tonga there was no need to share again.