Volunteers roll up their sleeves for South Auckland whānau

Marino has been living in her Māngere home for 26 years. It’s a house full of memories, where she saw her children grow up and had whānau stay over the years. She’s currently living there with her daughter and granddaughter.

Over time the maintenance of the home has gotten away from the family, and they are now facing extensive renovations just to keep it habitable.

Marino decided to approach Habitat after the family had been living without running hot water for 3-4 years. This has raised their water bills so high that Marino hasn’t been able to afford the necessary plumbing repairs. The constant dampness in the home has led to respiratory illness and allergies among the family members.

Another major issue for the family was the lack of security. Door handles had broken over time or fallen off with the family resorting to using knives in a couple of rooms including the back exterior door to wedge the door shut and to lever them open.

The extensive repairs being undertaken in conjunction with Te Puni Kōkiri include replacing weatherboards, a full exterior paint, new kitchen, laundry, new electrical rewiring, new door handles and locks, carpet, and flooring throughout.

Recently the whānau came together with volunteers from Genesis and Habitat’s build team to repaint the interior of the home in preparation for the new kitchen and laundry, as well as having new carpet and flooring laid throughout.

These improvements aim to not only preserve the house as part of the housing stock but also provide a comfortable and healthy environment that promotes the family’s security and well-being and enables them to thrive.