Laures Tumata, a woman whose grief and depression had held her back from employment for more than a decade, has been working fulltime for almost four months.The Rotorua Daily Post first spoke to Tumata in September when she completed her first week of work since 2006.
She was offered arole at Novotel in Rotorua after completing AccorHotels' Fast Track Partnership Programme, through Work and Income.
Things are looking up for Laures Tumata. Photo / File
Tumata had a new reason to get out of bed in the morning.
She cut off her long black hair, took off the beanie hiding her eyes and bought "nice clothes".
"I bring them in for dinners and lunches at the hotel, they're pleased for me," Tumata told the Rotorua Daily Post last week."I never want to leave, I want to work every day."
Nicolette van Lieshout, left, and Laures Tumata at Novotel Rotorua. Photo / Ben Fraser
Her baggy clothes attest to that: she has unintentionally lost weight from her physical new job.
Tumata has also branched out from room attendance to public area attendance and maintenance.
"I'm trying to stick my foot into laundry too," she laughs.
Tumata has had guests unexpectedly come up to her to hug, thank and encourage her, but the biggest surprise was when a Māori family living in Vancouver got in touch after seeing her in the news.
"We know you don't know us, but we are stoked to see someone from Kiwiland making changes like this," they said, and posted gemstones to Tumata and her son.
She made a little cloak and kete and sent it back to them, wishing them a happy Christmas.
Laures Tumata at work at Novotel Rotorua. Photo / File
Her son has just turned 10, and is slowly getting used to Mum being at work on a daily basis.
"He wants to be a houseman because they get to push the big trolleys," Tumata said.
She's proud of the fact she is able to do more things, and more easily afford to support him.
She has also found herself becoming a "mother hen" at work.
After speaking to the latest round of Building Futures trainees, Tumata was taken aback by the number of questions she was asked about dealing with depression.
"I explained how I had dealt with it in my way, and the outcomes."
She has also been pulled aside by fellow workers.
"'Can we have a talk?' they say. It's not always easy to find someone who can relate to it."
When Tumata's colleagues are in a bad mood at work, she tells them to "slam it into the pillows" as they make the beds.
