The university of YouTube has helped local man Justin Maaka restore around 30 items of whiteware which he then distributes to flood-affected whānau.
Justin’s Te Rato Road home was one of hundreds of North Clyde houses to be significantly damaged by the Cyclone Gabrielle flooding. He had been living in the family home of his great-grandmother, Marie Manaena, for the past five years.
On the morning of the flooding, the sound of running water alerted Justin that there was trouble ahead. Once he realised the river was flooding the six-foot four former bodyguard started stacking his household contents, with his important and sentimental contents as high as possible, and even pushing what he could into the ceiling manhole.
Inside the floodwaters were overflowing his Red Band gumboots and his escape to dry land was wading through waist-high water.
Justin said once he returned to his home it was just a monotonous game of musical chairs, stacking, unstacking, moving everything around and cleaning as he went.
“For some reason I plugged my fridge back in and could hear it humming – even though it had water and silt through it. I told my neighbours to check their whiteware before they put it out to be dumped and then when I drove past the Vista and saw the whiteware sitting outside for collection I asked them if I could have it.
With a good dollop of Kiwi ingenuity and tips from YouTube, Justin has now repaired 18 washing machines, six fridges and three chest freezers - all going to whānau in need.
“First I sorted the neighbourhood out and the people who needed them and now if I get something going, I just find it a good home.”
Justin says he has always been a tinkerer and can pretty much fix anything. “It becomes like a puzzle and I don’t like to see a puzzle unsolved - it irks me.
Being able to contribute has made Justin feel better in himself and has been a change from the mundane silt cleaning and clearing.
Any whiteware he can’t repair he uses for parts and is happy to keep on his fix-it journey for as long as the whiteware is available.
Disclaimers and Copyright
While every endeavour has been taken by the to ensure that the information on this website is
accurate and up to date, shall not be liable for any loss suffered through the use, directly or indirectly, of information on this website. Information contained has been assembled in good faith.
Some of the information available in this site is from the New Zealand Public domain and supplied by relevant
government agencies. cannot accept any liability for its accuracy or content.
Portions of the information and material on this site, including , pages, documents, online
graphics and images are protected by copyright, unless specifically notified to the contrary. Externally sourced
information or material is copyright to the respective provider.
© - www.website.co.nz / +64 6 000 0000 / info@website.co.nz
