Mele’s story

Life was ticking along nicely for Mele and her family, when a job loss and a disaster at home tipped them over the edge into financial hardship. Thankfully, Mele reached out for help from our Financial Mentor, Karen.

For years, life was steady and secure for Mele and her husband. They owned their own home, paid the mortgage on time, and managed to put a little aside each month – all while working full time and raising their five daughters.

“We never went on a benefit,” says Mele. “We worked hard because we wanted to look after our children ourselves. It wasn’t easy, but we made it work.”

Then everything changed. Mele’s husband, a contractor, lost his job due to the tough economic climate. They tightened their belts and kept going – putting the mortgage and bills first, and sacrificing everything else to stay on track.

On top of that, Mele’s sisters in Tonga fell seriously ill. She used her savings to travel home and be with them. Sadly, one of her sisters passed away, and the other was still unwell. Emotionally and financially, it was a heavy blow, but they were still coping.

Until the day that the hot water cylinder burst and water flooded the bedroom, damaging the carpet and walls. A plumber told Mele they needed a full replacement, which would cost $3,000 that they simply didn’t have.

“I contacted WINZ and investigated other ways of getting this funded, but we didn’t have any luck,” explains Mel. “In the end, we took out a loan with Pacific Loans – but the interest was 29.5%. We had no choice.”

Around the same time, Mele’s hours were cut to part-time. They fell behind on payments, and the loan company threatened to repossess her car, which she needed to keep working. “I couldn’t believe it,” she says. “We’d always paid on time. But life had changed and we were really struggling.”

A life-changing meeting

Under huge pressure and close to breaking point, Mele was encouraged to seek budgeting support. That’s when she met Karen, a Financial Mentor at Iosis. “When I came home after my first meeting with Karen, I felt the stress lift,” she recalls.

Karen helped Mele arrange a KiwiSaver hardship withdrawal and work out a plan to get back on track. “She guided me through everything. She helped with forms and phone calls but most of all, she gave me hope. I am so grateful that Iosis is here to help people like us who are really trying, but struggling.”

Today, finally, things are looking up. Mele’s husband is starting a new job, and Mele is filling more hours as she works toward full-time income again.

“Karen has been amazing. I can’t say thank you enough. I now know that we’re going to be okay. By 2032, we’ll have paid off our house, and life will be even better. Thank you, Iosis — from the bottom of my heart.”