Students Make A Start On Habitat House

Work has begun on the new Habitat for Humanity house being built by Whitireia trades students through an innovative partnership between Whitireia New Zealand and Habitat for Humanity.

Around 150 trades’ students will have an opportunity to work on the house over the next seven months. The house is being built on site at the Whitireia Industry Training Centre in Mohuia Crescent, Elsdon. Students studying Carpentry, Plumbing, and Electrical will all get a chance to work on this real life building project.

“This is a great experience for our students” said Shayne Warren, Programme Manager, Carpentry. “Providing students with genuine hands on building experience is an excellent form of training for them. There will be a real sense of achievement amongst them once it is completed”.

This is the second house that Whitireia have been involved in, with Habitat for Humanity. The first house was completed in 2010.

Students will complete the build work on this house to the fully enclosed and lined stage by September. The house will then be transported to a site in Ascot Park, where the finishing touches will be completed by Habitat volunteers, staff and, Veasna Taing and his family.

Veasna Taing and his family are very worthy recipients of the 502nd house to be built by Habitat for Humanity. Originally from Cambodia, Veasna and his wife are currently living in an overcrowded house in Porirua with their two children – one of which is disabled. “This new house means so much to this family” said Gill Burns, Operations Manager, Habitat for Humanity. “The excitement and enthusiasm shown by Veasna is incredible – he wants to be fully involved in the building of this home for his family” she said. He is longing for a house that he and his wife Sithoeun Bit, can call home and one that is suitable for their two sons to live in.

Whitireia are pleased to be partnering with Habitat for Humanity for a second time said Don Campbell, Whitireia Chief Executive. “On this occasion we are not only providing our students with an opportunity to build the house for this family but we have also awarded Veasna with a scholarship to study on the Whitireia Carpentry programme so he to can have a hands on experience in the building of his own home and gain a qualification at the end – this is his dream and we have been able to help him fulfil this” he said.

The house will consist of three bedrooms, will be 103m2 and has been designed to create an environment that will benefit this family.

ENDS

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