Gift to welcome refugees

A backpack is a small thing to call your own, but Haneen Musa says it’s a big way to make someone feel like they belong.

The Kristin School student spent 10 weeks collecting school bags to give to a new intake of children at the Mangere Refugee centre.

‘‘It was my way of welcoming them into our society and connecting, and saying that I understand you may feel disconnected from your roots,’’ Haneen says.

‘‘I wanted to give them something that was theirs making them feel like they belong.’’

The 15 year old is a New Zealandborn Arabic so she decided she wanted to help people of the same culture.

She spent a day at the refugee centre and spoke to the children there about life as a teenager in New Zealand and how school works. She says being able to speak Arabic was helpful.

‘‘Helping them understand that we are a very culturally diverse country does make them feel a bit better,’’ she says.

Haneen says being at the centre was extremely memorable and playing with the children in the after-school session was a highlight.

‘‘Playing soccer with a little boy who was 5 years old who was from Syria was honestly one of the most heartwarming things I have experienced,’’ she says.

‘‘Being the person to make the young boy smile would be an experience and a moment that I probably will never forget.’’

Haneen collected 60 backpacks from family, friends and Kristin School students as well as $730 to purchase new bags. She says she would love to return to the centre in the next school holidays.