Revisiting after two years: Melenaite’s journey in the trades

This month marks one year since the final homes in Habitat’s Tonga tsunami rebuild were handed over to homeowners. Eight homes were built in partnership with Tonga Institute of Science and Technology (TIST) carpentry students and with the help of Home Foundation.

When the underwater eruption of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano and subsequent tsunami struck in January 2022, Habitat knew that a medium to long-term response would be needed to help address the effect on housing.

An 18-month disaster response began to assess conditions, consult with communities, and develop a rebuild and response plan that would also build housing skills of community members to increase long-term impact.

Throughout the project over 30 TIST students gained practical skills by working on the Habitat rebuild to help their education and careers, while eight families were provided with new homes by August 2023.

In October 2022, Habitat spoke to Melenaite when she was a first-year carpentry student at TIST.

“Growing up watching my grandma and my dad, they were carpenters, it just gave me the passion[...] to be like them,” Melenaite told us in her interview almost two years ago.

“I haven’t started working in buildings like this, this is my first time so it’s a great experience.”

Now almost two years after Melenaite’s first interview and one year since the Tonga tsunami rebuild homes were handed over to families, we’ve caught up with her again to see where her carpentry education and career is now.

Melenaite is now 21 years old and has now finished her Stage 3 carpentry training with TIST. Reflecting on her time in the industry and the experience working on the rebuild, Melenaite shares that she has learned skills that will help her community and quality of housing she’s involved in in the future.

“Two major things I learn from the work here. One is that I am able to share the skills I am attaining in the workplace in building shelters and taking into account that building involves ensuring that the environment is healthy and safe.”

As a woman in the trades, Melenaite is also an inspiration to other young woman and any youth who are considering carpentry as a career.

“For me as a girl it also encourages girls who would want to cross over to this field nothing is impossible for women when you have the will power, it’s about hard work and commitment.

“My encouragement for youth who want to go in this field that I am pursuing, this is an area that is exciting, fun and will also help your families. The skills attained in this field is practical because you will learn the art of building to look after your family.”

Vocational training is an important outcome in Habitat’s work in the Pacific as skilled youth and local people have many long-term positive benefits for housing and resilience in communities.

By partnering with the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, public supporters, and local organisations on the ground, Habitat is continuing to prepare the Pacific for the future with on-going training and collaborative shelter programmes.

Habitat New Zealand has a long history of collaborating with Pacific communities to improve access to decent housing and will continue working toward a world where everyone has a decent place to call home.