| 99 Community the focus Building communities – Building Brothers Mapa, Fou and George Tuipulotu. Contact: Kelvin Sami on 022 655 7607 PROUD TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH Building Brothers Construction Kelvins logistic electrical Thrusting Services Sewer Repairs CCTV Surveys Driveway Channels DRAIN UNBLOCKING | SUBSOIL DRAINAGE | BASEMENT FLOODING | PUBLIC COUNCIL DRAINAGE CALL FREE TODAY: 0800 DRAINLAYER Auckland Drainlayers 0800 372 465 With over 20 years of experience in the field our qualified drainlayers are exceptional at what they do. New Zealand certified, qualified and registered, you can be assured that the job is done to the highest standard and complies with all NZBC standards. For the three brothers – Mapa, Fou and George Tuipulotu – who own Auckland’s Building Brothers Construction, building houses is only part of the picture. The other key part is about building opportunities for their community and providing a platform for positive change. Since starting in 2017, Building Brothers Construction has grown rapidly to over 100 workers, including other Tuipulotu brothers and family members working on the tools or as part of the management team. “We grew up in East Auckland and had our share of shortages and struggles,” recalls Mapa. “We wanted to find a way to break the negative cycles we could see happening. Once we started building, we realised the best way was to give opportunities for the community to work and build. That’s what drives us and it’s a passion.” Building Brothers Construction actively empowers young Māori and Pacific Island people to pursue opportunities in building, including working towards self-employment. “We try to encourage them to become fully qualified and experienced so they are competent to work on their own. Some do leave us to start their own business or they sub-contract into us. We have other guys that just want to work. It’s about giving them a platform. “For us, this is about community - putting mana and balance back into the community. It’s about restoring pride. We can see the change straight away: when you’ve helped to build something – whether it’s a house or a back fence – it changes your perspective. Kim Newth You’re going to want to show other people what you have built.” Currently, Building Brothers Construction is working on various renovations and new home builds over a wide area including Bucklands Beach, Papatoetoe, Three Kings, Waiheke Island and Morrinsville. However, the one place they would most love to be building right now is in their home stamping ground of East Auckland. In a 1News item that aired in August, the brothers talked about how they would love to be part of the Tāmaki Regeneration Programme in Glen Innes, Point England and Panmure. Guided by a master plan for a brighter future for Tāmaki, this programme involves the construction of 10,500 new private market, affordable and public homes across the area. Mapa acknowledges that Building Brothers Construction is a lot smaller than the large-scale residential building partners picked for this project but weighing in their favour is their desire to help their community and to make a difference in their home area. “We don’t want a hand-out – we just want an opportunity to build and showcase what we can do, using local people to build in a local area and help the community.” Mapa is pleased that those running the Tamaki Regeneration Programme are now listening and “asking the right questions”. Building Brothers Construction’s overall mission is to deliver home builds and renovations that offer top-quality workmanship and outstanding value. Whether it’s a small project or a major build, the team has the right training, qualifications and experience to get the job done to an excellent standard, on time and on budget. Building is very much in the DNA of these brothers. Mapa says their father was a secondary school teacher who built a home in Tonga before the family moved to New Zealand. “We came here for the Kiwi lifestyle of having a house with a big backyard but of course now that’s all changed. As we grew up, my brothers and I realised that the one thing we were all good at was building with our hands. It gives us purpose and a way to give back to our community and the future generation.” Building Brothers Construction BUILDING
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