More than a hundred care packages have been given to refugees in Auckland. Photo: RNZ / Finn Blackwell
More than a hundred care packages have been given out to refugees thanks to three Auckland high school students.
Georgia, Zakia and Ella came up with the idea as part of a school assessment on the global refugee crisis.
They handed out box after box to grateful refugees at Selwyn College's Refugee Education for Adults and Families centre.
For Zakia, Ella and Georgia, it was the result of hours and hours of work.
Under the banner CarePack Selwyn, the trio spent time interviewing the refugees at the Selwyn College centre to personalise care packs with things like notebooks, shoes and other essentials.
Ella said it had been an incredible experience.
"It has been so rewarding, and we're so grateful for the opportunity to take real action, especially as young people living in New Zealand.
"We've spoken to most of the students one-on-one and they're all so lovely, and we've really got to know some of them over our time," Ella said.
"It's been so rewarding, we're so thankful."
As Georgia explained, it was the culmination of more than $40,000 worth of donated goods from 20 different companies.
"We were fortunate enough to receive pretty much everything in the packs is brand new goods, they're all from businesses," she said.
"We've gotten donations such as Clever Kiwi donated over 700 work books which is like, obviously they're studying at the centre here so that's essential for them."
Other donors included BedsRUs, Bunnings, NZ Post, and Ecostore.
An open care package. Photo: RNZ / Finn Blackwell
Zakia said a lot of thought had gone into the care packs.
"The care packs have a lot of things," she said.
"A lot of them are essential items, like cleaning supplies and shoes and stuff, but we've also got some extra goodies.
"Each care pack is personalised for each student, so the Muslim women get hijabs and stuff like that."
Their principal Sheryll Ofner and social studies teacher Cody Dodge couldn't be prouder.
"I am so, so proud of these students, what an amazing thing they've done for the community, but also in terms of their own learning," Ofner said.
"So impressed, so proud of these students," Dodge said.
"They've gone above and beyond."
And for refugees like Anwar Mohammadi the care packs were a welcome gift.
He came from Afghanistan three years ago and told RNZ the classes at the Selwyn College centre made a difference.
"We have lots of students here, everyday they come here to learn English and day by day they improve their English," Mohammadi said.
Another refugee, Noor Jahan Mohamad Ishak, said she was looking forward to opening her care package.
"Such a good gift this one, nice," she said.
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