Gift of backpackswelcomes 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 resident of Milford on Auckland’s North Shore spent 10 weeks planning and collecting school bags to give to a new intake of refugee children at the Mangere Refugee centre.

She says the 95 backpacks that were gifted, were her way of welcoming refugees to New Zealand.

‘‘It was kind of 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 New Zealand-born but her parents are Arabic and she decided she wanted to help people of the same culture.

She says being able to speak Arabic was an advantage when it came to delivering the backpacks.

Haneen spent a day at the refugee centre in the July school holidays, with the children there and spoke to them about life as a teenager in New Zealand and how school works.

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

The Kristin School student says being at the centre was extremely memorable.

While it was initially difficult, by the end, she got emotional leaving the centre.

The after-school session was a highlight, she says.

‘‘Playing soccer with a little boy who was 5 years old who was from Syria was honestly one of the most heart warming 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.

If you would like to get involved with helping refugees