Despite the Pacific's reputation as a region of beaches and abundance, there is no place further from the internationally agreed poverty reduction targets.

Why is the idea of helping poor children so difficult to sell in a country with a supposed 'socialist streak'?

It is a measure of how subdued is the national mood and how modest are our current ambitions that we expect so little of our elected governments.

Sharing food across the wider whanau is the only way Papakura's Peawini family keeps food on the table.

The causes of increased poverty, and the growth of school food programmes go back to National's big benefit cuts of 1991.

More than 100 Herald readers have signed up to pay $15 a month to sponsor hungry children in response to this week's campaign on the issue.

Poorer families are cutting out meat and vegetables to keep up repayments to finance companies, budgeters say.