Peter and Leila MacIntosh are already noticing the difference a warm, dry, home is making for their whānau. Photo/File.
A kaumātua couple from Papakura are the most recent beneficiaries of a programme that seeks to provide warm home solutions for local families.
Leila (Ngāti Maniapoto) and Peter (Ngāti Hauā) MacIntosh have experienced countless cases of sicknesses in the past few years due to the condition of their home.
“It was damp, it had mould. My grandchildren moved home, they were sick, they’re asthmatic, our daughter's asthmatic..... and we spent most of our time at the hospital,” says Leila MacIntosh.
Most of these sicknesses are symptoms of a cold home.
Identifying that these types of cases are not isolated to a few families only, Jan Piahana (Ngāti Rehua, Ngāti Wai) and her team at "Kootuitui ki Papakura" have taken action by providing low cost, effective home-warming solutions.
“Leila and Peter were referred to us through Papakura marae and they came to an educational workshop for warm, dry, homes. They requested a house assessment and through that assessment we have been able to install products to support a healthy home,” says Piahana.
Since last year, the programme has helped more than 160 families in Papakura, providing each with warm home installations costing around $1,000 each, depending on the home size and needs.
Leila and Peter received their installations on Thursday and have already noticed the difference.
“In our bedroom, it has been much better because you haven't got that moisture on your windows.....and can I just add, we haven't been to the doctors,” says Leila.
In order to qualify for a house warming installation, families must attend the workshop for warm, dry, healthy homes run by Kootuitui.
The next workshop is on September 3rd at Papakura High School.