10 tonnes of gifts for tiny island

Henry Leiataua, who was born in Manono, a tiny island in the Samoan group, can be sure of a warm welcome when he returns with a container-load of aid materials for the tsunami-hit island early next year.

Mr Leiataua (50) left Manono when he was 15 and has lived in Dunedin for the past 30 years, working these days as an industrial electrician.

He was shocked and saddened when he first heard a tsunami had struck Samoa on September 29.

About 180 people died in Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga, and property damage was extensive in many places.

One woman on Manono died of a heart attack during the tsunami.

About two-thirds of the houses in the island's main village, Lepuiai Manono, were swept away and the interior of the village church was damaged by the surging waters.

Mr Leiataua is an electrical contractor to Escea Ltd, and an old friend of Eion Wilson, who is a production engineering manager at the firm's newly established gas-fired heater factory in Green Island.

Mr Leiataua was keen to volunteer his help and to provide some aid supplies for Manono, which had become a "forgotten" area after the tsunami, and initially had received little aid support.

As the two men discussed the situation, support plans became more ambitious.

Yesterday, they began loading into a shipping container more than 10 tonnes of aid supplies, including building materials, such as wooden framing and roofing iron; tools, cooking appliances, bedding and an electric organ for the church.

Mr Leiataua was delighted with the strong backing which New Zealanders and Escea Ltd, and several other Dunedin firms, had shown for the aid project.

He will travel back to Manono in early February to help distribute the aid when the container arrives from Dunedin.

"I'm very humbled by the support," he said.

Mr Wilson was "absolutely rapt" with the outcome.