but disparity between Māori, Pākehā increasing
At just 22 years old, Walter has weathered enough trauma to fill several lifetimes.
He has lived on the streets, been in and out of prison, and has attempted suicide multiple times.
"I was on the streets for years," he said.
"Stealing, fighting, and smoking drugs every day."
Poverty, what he calls a "generational curse", gave him nowhere else to turn.
Now, he hopes to save others from the path he struggled to escape from.
Walter is one of many kids left behind, Children's Commissioner Judge Frances Eivers says.
Link to video and article: Fewer Kiwi children living in poverty but disparity between Māori, Pākehā increasing | Newshub
