Families are falling apart due to the stress that COVID has brought about – Kiran

The CEO of Foundation for Rural Integrated Enterprises and Development or FRIEND Fiji, Sashi Kiran reveals families are falling apart because of the stress that COVID has brought and due to the socioeconomic situation that we are in as a large number of families are in extreme struggle to feed their families.

She says a large number of people are now on reduced hours or have lost their jobs.

Kiran says many elders are saying that they live on one meal a day, so that children can eat better.

She also reveals they have found families who had lived on either tea and biscuit or just water and something else boiled for a few days before they reached them with assistance.

Kiran says food has been a real struggle for most families, especially a large number of people living together.

The CEO adds they have also seen people struggling for not only medication, but awaiting surgery which have been halted because of the current crises.

Kiran says with all these happening, lots of leaders have come forward to work together and they include various Chambers of Commerce, Retailers Associations, Rotary Clubs, faith based organisations and lots of non governmental organisations.

Meanwhile, Kiran also confirms they are now assisting the Ministry of Health by providing help to people throughout Fiji through the toll-free line 165 which is a 24 hour service.

She says they mobilize quickly to provide for the families when requests come from this toll-free line.

This assistance also includes retrieving patients through ambulances in the Central and Western Divisions.

Kiran adds with the government grant coming from the end of this month and as things are getting worse, they are hoping to reduce their food distribution which will give them more time to help the Ministry of Health with medication and other assistance to deal with the pandemic.

She says this will also help them roll out their livelihood support options.