This homeless family, who did not want to be identified, have ended up staying at Te Puea Marae because they cannot afford to pay rent. Credit: Doug Sherring
The South Auckland family of 11 who felt like a failure after becoming homeless have now been given hope - in the shape of a six-bedroom house and a job.
The couple and their nine children sheltered at Te Puea Marae, which offered wrap-around services and have been instrumental in getting them back up on their feet.
The Pasifika couple, who did not want to be identified, were forced to move out of their Mangere rental three months ago when the landlord decided to renovate the uninsulated and dated property.
The family have since been given a six-bedroom home through Housing New Zealand in Mangere, which they will move into on September 19.
Marae chairman Hurimoana Dennis described the big house as being as "like finding gold in the Pacific Ocean" as large homes were hard to come by.
Hurimoana Dennis, chairman of Te Puea Marae, said getting the family a home and a job was the result of social services and the private sector working together. Photo / Doug Sherring
Fletcher Building has also come on board to support the father with work and carpentry training.
"We have a house now. Lucky us. Finally we get a house," the mother said.
"We feel so happy and we look forward to living there with our kids."
Dennis said this was a great example of what happens when Te Puea, the private sector and social agencies work together.
"We can actually put people into their own homes and re-plug them into their communities and remain behind them until they are ready to fly on their own.
"We are talking about whanau, who want to own their mistakes and just get on with their lives, but over time things just became unaffordable."
Te Puea held a private sector hui on August 23 and have now partnered with organisations such as PWC, KPMG, EY, Vodafone, Auckland Airport, Fletcher Challenge, SkyCity, Update Skills Group, Hauraki Piling LTD, Humphreys Accounting, Countdown and the Warehouse.
Dennis was excited as the new relationships would be able to deliver exactly what families needed - whether that be a home, furnishings, vehicles, food, job opportunities or mentoring.
"This is going straight to the front door of these homeless families, they [private organisations] are not going to get any closer than that."
The cold, uninsulated five-bedroom house the family rented had made their children, aged 1 to 15, sick - two were diagnosed with strep throat after arriving at the marae.
Their emotional mother told the Herald she felt like she was failing her family.
"My family is unhealthy," she said. "They always ask me, why are we staying around, why we didn't find a house.
"I feel sad for myself and my husband because I know that's my job and my husband's to find a house for my family."
She added: "I think I try my best with my husband to make my family a better life, but at the moment we struggle with their school, struggle with their health and we struggle with our life."
