Rawinia Kahotea (left), who lost her home and possessions in a fire last week, with Julie King (right) from Love Soup who has helped generate a community response. Photo / Supplied
Rawinia Kahotea (left), who lost her home and possessions in a fire last week, with Julie King (right) from Love Soup who has helped generate a community response. Photo / Supplied
Within days of Rawinia Kahotea and her three children losing their home and all their possessions in a fire, the Rotorua community has donated almost everything they need, raised thousands in cash and thrown a surprise birthday party for one of the children.
Kahotea’s Frank St rental home of 13 years was destroyed in fire on Tuesday night last week after her 7-year-old son accidentally started the blaze while playing with a lighter.
The mum and three children, including her young son, 10-year-old daughter, 18-year-old son and another 18-year-old who lived at the two-bedroom house, lost everything as fire swept through the house from where it started in a bedroom.
A damaged house on Frank St in Koutu, Rotorua after a fire on Tuesday night. Photo / Kelly Makiha
Kahotea is a community volunteer who helps run the Koutu Pātaka Kai community feeding pantry. The pantry is in her driveway and people who can donate food leave items in the pantry while those who need food go to the pantry to collect it.
After the Rotorua Daily Post publicised Kahotea’s plight last week, the community swung into action to help the solo mother.
Kahotea told the Rotorua Daily Post she was now living in an emergency housing motel with her children and had been told by Te Pokapū, the emergency housing hub, she could get a new rental property in a month.
Rawinia Kahotea, who lost her home in a fire last week, with Julie King from Love Soup. Photo / Supplied
Community organisation Love Soup started a Givealittle fundraising page, which as of Monday afternoon had raised more than $2200, and the Rotorua Community Clothing Exchange started collecting donated items.
Clothing, furniture, toys and food were donated through the organisations or given directly to Kahotea.
Adam Jeffries, who makes balloons at children’s birthdays through his business Artzy Glitzy, said he read on Facebook somewhere about Kahotea’s plight and how she was having to cancel her son’s 8th birthday party that week because of the stress and expense of losing everything in the fire.
Adam Jeffries (left), who is known as the "balloon man" from Artzy Glitzy, donated his time alongside Andrew Smallman from Love Soup, to an 8-year-old boy's birthday days after he lost his home and all his possessions in a fire. Photo / Supplied
He said he offered to donate his time and on Friday everyone surprised Kahotea and her son with a birthday party.
Jeffries said he was happy to spend a few hours at Kahotea’s friend’s house, where they were temporarily staying before going into emergency housing, putting on a party and making the children happy.
“While we were there, there were still people coming up the driveway donating items. It was so cool to see. It’s good to give back and it’s really rewarding, it comes back 10-fold, it really does.”
Ally Watson from the Rotorua Clothing Exchange said she was updating their Facebook page with what more was needed and within hours the goods had been donated.
Some of the toys donated to the family who lost everything in a house fire last week. Photo / Supplied
When they decided to hold a birthday party for Kahotea’s son, community members donated brand new toys.
Andrew Smallman from Love Soup said he knew Kahotea well as their organisations worked together often. He said despite losing everything, she still volunteered all day Saturday at their community event.
“She really is amazing and is so deserving.”
Kahotea told the Rotorua Daily Post she was blown away by the support.
Rawinia Kahotea lost everything in a fire. Photo / Kelly Makiha
She said it had been a busy time with appointments and trying to get everything sorted, including seeing doctors to get medications for her children and trying to find somewhere to live.
She said given they didn’t have a house yet, they didn’t need more furniture.
She was in the process of thoroughly cleaning the emergency housing motel room where they were staying as it had previously allowed pets and there were “poo stains” on the carpet. She said she was also “bombing” it for cockroaches.
However, she said she was grateful they were able to take their two cats to the motel and her son was making friends with the other children nearby.
“I am going to make this our new home for a month ... My head has been scrambled but I am getting there. Everyone has been reaching out and I appreciate everyone.”
Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist who has reported for the Rotorua Daily Post for more than 25 years, covering mainly police, court, human interest and social issues.
