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Regional | Business

Māori Asphalt company turns into distribution centre amid Covid-19 response

A small whānau-owned Christchurch roading company has turned their workshop into a distribution centre for hygiene packs to be sent to more than 5000 families across the South Island.

Many community groups across the country have rallied behind their people and helped distribute care packages for the most vulnerable or most in need during the Covid-19 pandemic.

It's not what Whenua Construction is used to, but the rewards are still the same.

Kahu Epiha, who along with wife Tina own Whenua Construction and Asphalt, says, "One thing we strongly believe in personally and as a company is that you take care of gods business, and he'll take care of ours. So God's business is the people and we need to take care of the people, so it's a blessing and an honour to help out and give back to the community and to the Waipounamu."

South Island Whānau Ora agency, Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu, have arranged for 20,000 care packages to be sent out during the Level 4 Lockdown.

Even before the lockdown began they realised it was going to be a big task, and asked for community help. Whenua Construction jumped at the chance.

Huata Arahanga, of Te Pūtahitanga o te Waipounamu says although they're a roading company, they are a Māori company, with Māori employees and most of all a Māori ethos.

"When I first put the call out, or my wife did put the call out and she got a response from all our workers within an hour to a couple of hours and they were keen as to help, we can't ask for more. As you can see they're all busy at it," Epiha says.

While the company shutdown during the Level 4 Lockdown, they were able to continue to pay their employees their full hours "to help out with kai, their needs, bills", but Epiha says they've also loved the opportunity to give back to the community.

They've re-purposed their shed that normally houses road building machinery to become a distribution centre packing hygiene products such as soaps and shampoos to families around Christchurch, and as far north as the top of the South Island, across to the West Coast and South of Christchurch.

"It's awesome to be honest that we can have diversity in our company, and thats what we do if there's something to do, we do it. Whether it's in our scope or not. It's been an awesome opportunity to get into distribution for this awesome cause," Epiha says.

The company employs seven full-time staff but for this task they've enlisted the help of their children, including Kahu's son Te Kaha.

"I've found it to be real cool, helping other people and yeah it's just cool seeing other people doing work and yeah getting off the PS4," Te Kaha says.

When the Alert Level moves to Level 3 next week, Whenua Construction will return to working building and maintaining Christchurch Roads.

But that won't mean the community work ends there. Kahu Epiha says once they commit to a job, they see it through to the end.

"One thing with us, like I said before diversity, is that we have diverse pullings where we need to and whānau that can help and the volunteers that we have and can come in and help out and finish this job and yeah that's easy, we'll finish it.

Huata Arahanga says they'll forever be grateful for the support.

For Epiha and the team at Whenua Construction, serving the community in the time of need is what has driven them to move their boundaries.

"In circumstances like this, anything's possible and it’s the perspective that you look upon things. You know, for us to have this, it’s not ours it’s our Lord's and we’re doing his work through this business, this is our ministry to love and serve the people through asphalt construction and hence this season our distribution.

"I suppose keep positive, keep on striving towards your goals and that you can always achieve more than you know of."