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Urgent Support Needed for Tafan Family After House Fire

$3,740 donated

Given by 37 generous donors in around 3 months

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A fundraiser supporting a family rebuilding after serious illness and the loss of their home in a fire.

Pongakawa, Bay Of Plenty

Bob & Becky moved to NZ from Vanuatu with their four children — Fredrick (15), Elizabeth (12), Junior (9), & Harrison (3) — & their Aunty Margaret, hoping to build a safe, stable life.

They have already faced major challenges this year following Bob’s serious brain tumour diagnosis and ongoing cancer treatment, & have shown great resilience.

Yesterday, their situation became even more devastating when their home was lost in an accidental kitchen fire. Everyone is safe, which we are grateful for, but the fire destroyed everything they owned — from basic household items to treasured personal belongings. They do not have insurance for these losses.

The family is now in temporary furnished accommodation & immediate needs such as food, clothing & basic care are being supported by the community. However, the longer-term need is significant. As a family of 7, they will need to rebuild from nothing — including furniture, bedding, clothing, school items, & all the basics of daily life.

There will also be additional costs due to the loss of personal documents, inc replacement identification, visa paperwork, & other recovery/immigration expenses.

For this reason, cash support is the most helpful way to assist the family at this time, allowing them to respond flexibly to urgent needs as they arise & gradually rebuild stability without needing to manage donated goods.

Any support, large or small, will make a meaningful difference as they rebuild. Thank you for your kindness and compassion.

About us

Fruit of the Pacific supports, educates and mentors short term Pacific migrants.

Use of funds

Funds will support clothing, food & daily living costs; replacement of household furnishings & home setup; children’s needs; replacement of identification & immigration matters; & costs of re-establishing life and stability, plus fire & medical expenses.

Hope for the future... 31 July 2026

Wow, so much has happened since the last update. Here's the short version of a very long few months.

Over the last 6 months, Bob & his family have faced: a brain tumor diagnosis, diabetes diagnosis, debulking surgery, radiotherapy, their house burning down & loss of passports, expiring visas, an immigration appeal, both unable to work, the start of chemo, Bob's cognitive decline, a hospital admission, an MRI read as aggressive terminal regrowth—later reviewed as brain swelling from treatment, needing recovery time before chemo could continue. Through all this, their future in NZ stayed uncertain, with no word yet from Immigration or Vanuatu.

Phew. It's been a wild ride!

But on Wednesday, Bob, Becky & their family flew back to Vanuatu — carrying a little more hope than they had a fortnight ago...

Two weeks ago, Bob was told his treatment wasn't working & he had months to live. Days later, a reviewed MRI suggested it was working, and the side effects would ease with time. Hope.

As departure plans were finalised, a long-awaited letter from Immigration said the whole family could apply for new work/student visas, regardless of Bob's health. Hope.

Then, the day before travel, word came from Vanuatu that their passports could be reissued. Hope.

Thanks to the support & prayers of people like you, the Tafan family's future looks hopeful. They return to Vanuatu to sort their documents, with hope of coming back soon to finish Bob's treatment & build the years ahead as a family.

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