All breast up with nowhere to go

A group donating bras to the Pacific Islands is calling for support after its free shipping arrangement to Vanuatu was halted.

Uplift Project has been running since 2005 in New Zealand and Australia, sending undergarments to any of the Pacific Islands which requests them with the help of a shipping company.

New Zealand coordinator Pauline Watson said a change in ownership of the freight business meant they were no longer able to send bras to Vanuatu’s Red Cross free of charge.

Ms Watson said there were plenty of donations but no way of transporting them to help the victims of the recent Cyclone Donna.

“We take it for granted but to them, a bra is so precious and they can’t really afford to buy them because their main concern is feeding the family,” said Ms Watson.

Ms Watson said women in the Pacific Islands kept getting rashes under their breasts from the humidity and needed to go about their lives in comfort.

“Even the bras in the market are not very good quality, which is why they like our bras. Also, they’re not allowed to try them on because of the humidity,” said Ms Watson.

She admitted it was tricky getting the lingerie to their destination.

“We need a reliable source because I have heard of bras going to some of the islands and getting into the wrong hands, the locals have been selling them for their own profit,” said Ms Watson.

She said she had around 2000 donated in Christchurch, and around another 1000 throughout the rest of New Zealand.

“I send 1000 bras at a time, which adds up to just under a cubic metre and weighs 90 kilograms,” said Ms Watson.

In only one day, Debbie Fisher collected a 60L container full of donated bras at the West Auckland drop-off point.

“There would probably be 70-80 bras in there at least,” said Mrs Fisher.

Labour spokesperson for Pacific Island Affairs, Aupito Su’a William Sio said growing up with five sisters showed him that a bra was important for growing women.

“When you’ve got a cyclone that comes through and causes havoc, and people lose everything, a bra would be considered a luxury item, particularly in the rural areas of the Pacific,” said Aupito.

He is positive Uplift can find a way to send the bras to Vanuatu.

“If they approach Vanuatu’s High Commission, I'm sure they would welcome an opportunity to be able to help in making sure those gifts are received by the people most in need of it,” said Aupito.

Minister for Pacific Peoples, Alfred Ngaro was approached for comment but was unavailable to talk about the matter at the time.  

Cyclone Donna was the strongest ever May cyclone to hit the Southern Hemisphere.

To donate to Uplift or find out more, visit the website.