“Habitat has already fixed the heat pump that I haven’t been able to use for months. The kids will be warm tonight.” Angela – Tō Kāinga Whare
Angela is one of the 10,000 grandparents throughout New Zealand who have stepped up to care for their grandchildren. The children, who are now in Angela’s sole care, range in age from five months to nine years. All the children have physical and mental health needs.
Angela and her granddaughter suffer from chronic asthma that has led to multiple hospitalisations.
Their poor respiratory health has been exacerbated from living in a damp house. Habitat has fixed the heat pump and is replacing the curtains and broken window latches. The gutters have been cleaned and an underfloor ground cover installed to reduce moisture going into the house.
Our Tō Kāinga Whare programme was developed alongside District Health Board partners to provide a whanau centred service for people suffering from housing related health indicator conditions. The programme has attracted extensive philanthropic funding and has increased its impact this year. Its focus on warm and dry interventions and building relationships between tenants and landlords offers a unique and complimentary service to existing DHB support. The service is addressing not only immediate housing needs but is showing that early interventions can reduce doctor’s visits and hospitalisations.
