SINCE 2017, former NRL player Sione Finefeuiaki has been taking help across the seas, from Newcastle to his homeland of Tonga, through the foundation he established.
But after the undersea volcanic eruption off Tonga, and the tsunami it triggered, on Saturday, Mr Finefeuiaki is preparing to help even closer to home, as he waits to speak with family members in the island kingdom.
"I haven't heard anything because all the connections are down, so I can't talk on the phone to them," the former Newcastle Knight said from his workplace at Bennetts Green on Monday.
"I've tried to phone every relative, and I haven't reached anyone."
Sione Finefeuiaki's parents and a sister live in Kolonga, at the eastern end of the main island, Tongatapu. And, Mr Finefeuiaki explained, with their house being close to the coast, his loved ones prepared to evacuate before the eruption.
"The last time I heard from them was on Friday afternoon," he said. "They were just packing the car and moving inland."
Mr Finefeuiaki said he contacted the Tongan High Commission in Canberra on Monday morning. While the extent of the damage was still being learnt, Mr Finefeuiaki said he offered to help.
For more than four years, Sione's Foundation, often in partnership with Hunter companies, has undertaken a string of aid missions to Tonga, including carrying out building and repair projects. One of those projects involved the rebuilding of a primary school in Kolonga after it was damaged in a cyclone in 2018.
Now Mr Finefeuiaki expects his charity will be needed again to help Tongan communities get back on their feet, even though in recent times COVID has disrupted the foundation's aid missions to his homeland.
"We're not going to stop doing what we're doing; I think there will be even more work now," he said.
In his phone call with the high commission, Mr Finefeuiaki explained if there was a need for skills such as electricians, plumbers or builders, help could come from Newcastle. He said up to 20 Hunter businesses had contacted the foundation over the weekend, offering to lend a hand in Tonga.
One of those businesses was plumbing firm H.L. Mullane, whose employees have done aid work in Tonga.
Mullane employees had already been planning to work with Sione's Foundation in supplying and installing a solar hot water system at the main hospital in the capital, Nuku'alofa, when word of the eruption hit.
"It was really gut-wrenching," said Mullane CEO Tony Rhodes, of seeing vision of the eruption and tsunami. "You form a great bond with these communities, so it's tough to see that.
"I imagine, [the impact of the eruption] is going to create havoc with things like fresh water systems and sewerage systems."
Mr Rhodes said the company's Mullane Foundation could accelerate the hospital project, and help out with other jobs, but it depended on the challenges of COVID and receiving the Tongan Government's permission: "As soon as we get that green light, we'll be there."
In response to the offers of help, Sione Finefeuiaki said he couldn't say "thank you enough for the network we have here".
