Young leaders lend Christchurch a helping hand

Our young leaders around New Zealand have been involved in many initiatives to help fundraise and provide assistance to those affected by the Christchurch earthquake of 22 February 2011.

A member of the network’s Christchurch steering committee, Madhusudan Vasudevamurthy contacted Christchurch cluster members to offer his support; all were safe although some have suffered damage to their properties. Madhu said that the people of Christchurch, particularly the Chinese community, were saddened that the Chinese Lantern Festival could not take place. He was, however, hopeful that the city will rebuild in time to host another Lantern Festival next year.

Christchurch-based young leader Richard Evans has been working as a member of the Student Volunteer Army (SVA). Meanwhile, his studies at the University of Canterbury have been postponed for one month.

Photo: SVA volunteers at work (from the SVA Facebook page).

The SVA consists of three teams; Richard managed the ‘street team’ which distributes and gathers information for the Ministry of Social Development in Christchurch’s eastern suburbs. “The atmosphere was inspiring. Over more than a week of exhausting and very physical work, volunteers were driven by a genuine sense of altruism.”

Richard was interviewed by Asian broadcasters from Japan and South Korea about this role. The USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) teams sent by Japan and Taiwan were very much welcomed to the city and a sign of the friendship between New Zealand and those countries, Richard found.

A few hours south, Dunedin steering committee member Anita Perkins was involved in the Otago University Students’ Association ‘Dunedin Student Volunteer Lunch Delivery’ which took place at the University of Otago on the Saturday following the quake.

Photo: The Dunedin lunch collection effort.

At this event an impressive 17,000 lunches donated by Dunedinites were collected. They were then transported to Christchurch. SVA members, including Richard, who said that they were “very much appreciated” and “full of delicious and sustaining treats.”

In the North Island, Auckland steering committee member Alexandra-Jayeun Lee, who is also the founding director of the Architecture for Humanity Auckland Chapter, has been engaged in Humanity’s international fundraising campaign, ‘Build Back Christchurch’. This has included a number of ongoing initiatives including a charity auction and a ukulele concert. “It's a truly humbling experience to see so many partnerships, openness and generosity people have shown for Christchurch”, Alex said.

Also in Auckland, young leader Bevan Chuang, settlement support coordinator for Auckland Regional Migrant Services, has been working hard to find accommodation and gather support for migrants, refugees and international students affected by the quake. “There are a number of concerns amongst the Asian communities”, she said, “particularly about the lack of communication and understanding about what they can do, how to get access to information, access to financial and emotional support.”

Richard, who has worked with Refugee Services Aotearoa in Christchurch, also pointed out, “The communication challenges faced by all those living in the eastern suburbs of Christchurch are compounded for refugees, many of whom have little or no English and are without the same family and social networks local residents enjoy.”

Photo: Dunedin residents donated 17,000 lunches that were collected and transported to Christchurch.

Madhu sums up the importance of relief efforts by the network members: “The support that the people of Christchurch have received from the rest of the country has been amazing so far. I would say that people should continue to support fundraising events that are being held all over the country and around the globe in support of Christchurch and do their bit to help re-build Christchurch. As the local Young Leaders Network cluster, we are thankful to Asia:NZ and all network members who sent us emails and text messages to check on us and offered their support.”

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