With One Loaf project
Steven Nadollek from NZMA presents Grey Lynn Primary School student Cherry Quinn with the sleepout.
The Grey Lynn Primary School students.
Katherine Grant of Habitat for Humanity Auckland with the students.
A group of primary school children have set out to turn a loaf of bread into a house for a needy family.
The Grey Lynn Primary School students and their teacher Grant O’Connor launched the With One Loaf project in October 2014. They started with a loaf of bread, which they traded for some DVDs. After several more trades, they now have a brand new $6000 sleepout, donated by tertiary institute NZMA.
NZMA runs a construction school in South Auckland and its students are required to build a sleepout as part of their training. They decided donating a sleepout to the With One Loaf project would be a great way to help their local community. The need for decent, healthy housing is extremely high in South Auckland.
“Several of our construction students have themselves struggled and grown up in less than ideal housing, so this is a project that is close to our hearts,” said NZMA’s deputy campus principal for construction Steven Nadollek.
Not only have the students now got a sleepout to barter, but they’ve also managed to donate a second hand kitchen and a brand new toilet to Habitat for Humanity Auckland, a not-for-profit organisation which helps people in need into decent housing. Habitat’s volunteer and fundraising coordinator Katherine Granich was presented with the items in December.
“It’s really heart-warming to see these children striving to help others less fortunate. The items that they have given us really will make a difference to families in need,” said Granich.
The students are looking to barter their sleepout for something of higher value. Already they’ve been offered a second-hand car and boat, however they haven’t yet accepted as they want to make sure the trade will get them closer to their ultimate goal of a house.
Teacher Grant says he’s been “blown away” by the passion and enthusiasm with which his class have embraced the project.
“I’m 25 and it’s only now that I’m finding ways like this to help the community. These kids are only 8 and 9 years old. If they’re achieving amazing things like this already, I can’t wait to see what they’ll be doing by the time they get to my age. They’re a real inspiration,” said Grant.
To follow the progress of With One Loaf check out their blog.
