TE ŌHANGA MAURI - PRIORITY #9 - SOLVE HEALTH BY FIXING OUR HOMES
In Taitokerau, we are battling "Third World" diseases like Rheumatic Fever that have been almost entirely wiped out in other developed countries. These illnesses are a form of "Body Entropy"—a state where the physical system of the human body is degraded by its environment. Rheumatic Fever permanently damages the heart, reducing a child's energy and potential for their entire life.
This crisis exists because of the "Housing Paradox" we discussed earlier. Cold, damp, and overcrowded houses strip heat from the body, weakening the immune system and allowing bacteria to take hold. The "entropy" of a broken house becomes the "entropy" of the child living inside it. We cannot fix our health stats while our whānau are living in environments that make them sick.