Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
License needed for work use Register

Local Govt | National News Video | Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Search

 

‘Helping Hands’ Initiative Serves The Muslim Community

A joint initiative by the Pearl of the Islands Foundation (PIF), Khadija Leadership Network (KLN) and Who is Hussain? Auckland wrapped up in September. The three organisations provided essential support to people who were in need of assistance since the pandemic brought the country into lockdown in April 2020.

At the beginning of the initiative, ‘Helping Hands’ ran a recruitment drive to attract volunteers for this community service. In total, 21 volunteers signed up. They were provided with basic training on hygiene and safety to ensure they kept themselves and others safe during this time.

Initially, the aim was the assist with picking up and dropping off groceries and medical supplies. Yasir from PIF, one of the project leads, stated that “Very quickly we came to the realisation that New Zealanders united as one and many groups began to offer similar support.”

A phone line was also created thanks to Masooma from Who is Hussain? Auckland, “We are thankful to MSD for recognising our work and granting us a permit to operate as essential workers during lockdown restrictions. It was a great feeling to be able to collaborate and serve the community in the most vulnerable times”.

‘Helping Hands’ predominantly assisted migrant communities across New Zealand that were not eligible for government support. Exercising strict confidentiality, $2100 in funds were distributed to individuals and families across the country to pay for accommodation, groceries, medical bills, and household furniture.

Tayyaba Khan, CEO of KLN, found the project and it's approach critical to ensure community organisations were filling gaps to provide support where necessary, “It has been wonderful to see the New Zealand government roll out several packages to support some of our most vulnerable including the foreign workers support package.”

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines

Gordon Campbell: On How Climate Change Threatens Cricket‘s Future

Well that didn’t last long, did it? Mere days after taking on what he called the “awesome responsibility” of being Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon has started blaming everyone else and complaining that he's inherited “economic vandalism on an unprecedented scale” - which is how most of us would describe his own coalition agreements, 100-Day Plan, and backdated $3 billion handout to landlords... More


 
 
Public Housing Futures: Christmas Comes Early For Landlords

New CTU analysis of the National & ACT coalition agreement has shown the cost of returning interest deductibility to landlords is an extra $900M on top of National’s original proposal. This is because it is going to be implemented earlier and faster, including retrospective rebates from April 2023. More


Green Party: Petition To Save Oil & Gas Ban

“The new Government’s plan to expand oil and gas exploration is as dangerous as it is unscientific. Whatever you think about the new government, there is simply no mandate to trash the climate. We need to come together to stop them,” says James Shaw. More

PSA: MFAT Must Reverse Decision To Remove Te Reo

MFAT's decision to remove te reo from correspondence before new Ministers are sworn in risks undermining the important progress the public sector has made in honouring te Tiriti. "We are very disappointed in what is a backward decision - it simply seems to be a Ministry bowing to the racist rhetoric we heard on the election campaign trail," says Marcia Puru. More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.