Teau Aiturau is the head of Triple Teez – Time To Thrive – a charity that has given away more than 200 bikes for free in South Auckland.
Photo: supplied
He tells Nine to Noon that in 2012 he was having a lot of problems with his health.
“I couldn’t walk, I was obese. I weighed 252kg and I thought I needed to do something about this.”
He said both his parents – who have passed away now – were obese, and diabetic and his older brother is bedridden because of obesity.
“I just said ‘Nah, that’s enough, I need to do something for myself and my community’,” he says.
Aiturau started trying to lose weight, but it wasn't until a friend gave him a mountain bike that everything changed, and he wanted to share the benefits with his family and community in Mangere.
Aiturau started out by buying 10 bikes for $80 from an auction to give away to people. Now people donate bikes to the organisation, which then does them up and hands them out to people.
Triple Teez also runs basic bike maintenance workshops and recently organised a triathlon for kids, he says.
“The kids love it, it’s as simple as riding a bike, you know? [There’s] nothing to it, just having fun, and it’s free.”
Check out the Triple Teez Facebook page here
