Blitz Build Homeowner Profile
Jason (34) and Jean (34) Areaiiti have lived for the last four years with their three sons, Neccrom (15), Khan (10) and
Justus (8) in a detached double garage on Jason’s parents’ property in Clendon. The family moved there for economic
reasons and it also helps out Jason’s parents as they share expenses.
Tehiua Areaiiti, homeowner, uses a glue gun on a wall in her new house
The garage is metal-clad and has no insulation so gets cold in winter and stifling hot in summer. The family uses a gas
heater in winter but when it gets too cold, the children sometimes move into their grandparents’ house for the night.
Prior to moving in with Jason’s parents, the family rented a nearby house for around four years. The children have
enjoyed stable schooling and will remain at their current schools when they shift a couple of kilometres along the road
into their new Habitat home. It will mean a school bus ride for one of them but Jason will drop the others off at their
schools on his way to work. They will walk back to their grandparents’ house after school and Jason will collect them
when he finishes work.
Jason has a stable job as a painter, having worked for the same company for 10 years. His work takes him all over
Auckland and quite a bit of what he is now doing is maintenance painting. Jason, who has 15 years painting experience,
says that Jean is also a good painter! Jean obtained her taxi license and now works from the airport as a Corporate Taxi
driver. She works long hours and varying shifts.
The Areaiitis are excited about the prospect of owning their own home and for a long time after receiving the news of
their selection, found it hard to sleep. They always wanted their own home but didn’t know how that could happen. Now
Jason and Jean are relieved they don’t have to worry about their kids. The children are rapt to be getting their own
room and that they will be able to bring friends home. Previously they felt embarrassed about inviting their friends to
their garage.
The family is looking forward to helping build their own home and meeting all the volunteers who will help them. They
have already almost completed their required 500 hours of participation. Jason is happy to do anything on his house but
is especially keen to do the painting along with Jean. The other families are keen for him to paint their houses too,
but he says that he can’t do five houses in a week. However, he has been able to get a couple of his workmates to come
along and help out.
The Areaiitis have really enjoyed getting to know the other four Blitz Build families. The families enjoy each other’s
company and the children have met and play together well. Jason and Jean think this is great because these people will
be their new neighbours. Jason is also pleased because the five families include five different ethnic origins but all
get along well. Jason says the families say to each other when they come on site, “Only two weeks to go!” or “It’s not
long now!” They are really enjoying each others’ excitement.
Jason and Jean have also met another neighbour, Veli Ioasa who is also a Habitat house recipient. Veli is a solo mother
and is very happy to have plenty of friendly new neighbours and is looking forward to taking part in the Blitz Build
herself.
Their friends are really happy for them and more than a little envious. They’re all keen to find out about Habitat for
Humanity and have been asking a lot of questions. The Areaiitis try to keep themselves humble amongst their friends,
most of whom are renting and would love to be homeowners themselves.
Below is an approximate schedule for the week. The day starts at 7:30am with breakfast and a briefing, safety talk etc
and goes through to 5pm with a stop for lunch and refreshments.
Date Event/Theme
Build officially starts: 12 March Walls up, ceiling panels on, roof trusses on 14 March Roof on, weatherboards on 15
March Weatherboards continue, windows, door frames 16 March Paint outside, posts and fences 17 March Paint inside,
fencing, concrete paths 18 March Finish fencing, ground prep 19 March Final touch ups 20 March 1pm House Dedications and
handover of keys
I have attached:
1. Our Blitz Build brochure 2. A village layout
If there is anything else I can help with, do let me know.
We have approx 125 people per day on site from the local community, corporates, building companies, churches and other
groups. There will be one builder who overseas each house and underneath him there will be another 5 builders as team
leaders. Each team leader will have 4 - 5 volunteers assigned to them, hence about 25 working on each house.
The volunteers are a great mix of people - from all backgrounds and ages. There will be students, tradespeople,
grandparents and business people. For example Peter Watts who is the musical director and conductor of Auckland Choral
which is this year celebrating 150 years will be among those volunteering. A team from the USA is also flying in
especially for this build - they will spend the week prior sight-seeing and the week of the build - building. As part of
Habitat for Humanity's international "global village" volunteering programme - they pay for all of their expenses and
bring a donation to the project. The 5 partner homeowner families will be working on site as they use this opportunity
to work off a part of their required 500 hours per family. The families will purchase the houses by taking a loan out to
Habitat for Humanity which is on a no-interest basis with affordable repayments. This Blitz Build is a part of the
celebration of the 10th year of Habitat for Humanity in Manukau. Habitat for Humanity Manukau is one of 19 branches of
Habitat for Humanity nationwide. Those 19 branches have housed nearly 240 families. The completion of this Blitz Build
will mean that Habitat for Humanity Manukau has housed 50 families over its 10 years. Internationally Habitat for
Humanity has built approx 170,000 homes in 100 countries since its inception in 1976. Somewhere in the world a Habitat
home is completed every 26 minutes.
Habitat for Humanity is very committed to the Tsunami response and will be building 25,000 houses over the next 2 years
for Tsunami victims in Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and Indonesia. Funds raised during this Blitz Build will go toward
helping build 10 other homes in the Asia Pacific region.
For further reference:
Habitat for Humanity International www.habitat.org
Habitat for Humanity New Zealand http://www.habitatnz.co.nz