“Luckily, we had the Cranswick Hill to go up. When I was there I was just thinking ‘how am I going to do this? How am I going to pay for everything? Where will I live?’”
Floodwater went through their whare, damaging everything in its path.
But through the efforts of Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki lead negotiator Willie Te Aho, and Te Karaka community leaders Pimia Wehi and Dave Pikitia, the process of helping Connie and her whānau was begun.
Right at the start of the weather emergency, they stayed at Te Karaka Area School, before cabins were arranged as temporary accommodation for the whānau.
The iwi managed to get funding from Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and Te Puni Kōkiri along with Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, to restore the house to a high, liveable standard.
“We didn’t have to battle with anyone either,” Ms Kara said.
Yesterday morning, a karakia was held at the house before the family move back in.
“It felt amazing. It’s all blessings.Straight away after the cyclone it has been blessing after blessing,” she said.
“We are so grateful and humbled by it all.”
She wanted to thank everyone who had helped them get to this point.
“Our mind frame now is, ‘how do we give back to those who helped us?’”
