We're really happy to report the safe arrival in New Zealand of a young man who will rejoin his family after a very long wait!
Thank you to all our donors, you make this work possible! This is the 40th person we have been able to reunite with their family.
We are so happy to report we have just heard from 6 family members who have arrived safely in Auckland after a tricky journey from Kabul, Afghanistan. They will join family in Palmerston North after completing MIQ.
This is our 8th family reunion, and brings the total number of people to 39. Thank you thank you thank you to all our supporters. You are saving lives.
We are delighted to report that we have successfully managed to get a mother and seven children out of Afghanistan despite the deteriorating situation there, and the difficulties of international travel in a pandemic. They are currently in MIQ and will join their husband and father in Palmerston North next week.
This is family number 7 and brings the total of people you have helped to reunite with family here to 33.
We got the exciting news today of the safe arrival of two adults and three children from Pakistan to NZ! After quarantine they will be joining family in Palmerston North. Another family reunited!
That's 25 people you've helped join family in NZ in total.
Earlier this month we celebrated the arrival of the fifth family the Trust has been able to help, through your generous donations. Five families free from fear and worry and able to get on with their lives in New Zealand!
This means we have brought a total of 20 individuals to Palmerston North to reunite with family here.
We continue to receive many more applications than we are able to fund unfortunately, but we are working hard to raise more money.
The last 12 months have been a time of strong growth for the Trust activities. It has been notable for the arrival of two families, a significant increase in fundraising ($42,264 in the 18/19 financial year) and developments to put the Trust on a more sustainable footing. We welcomed a new member of the Trust board, Alison Rowland, at the start of 2019.
During this period we saw the arrival in Palmerston North of two families whom we had assisted with funding. The first family (our third since we began) arrived in August, and was made up of 2 adults and 2 children from Afghanistan, joining family already in Palmerston North. The next family, (our fourth) travelled from Pakistan and was made up of 4 people, 2 adults and 2 children. We continue to assist one other family with accommodation costs. We spent $37,932 in family assistance in the 18/19 financial year.
In the three years we have been active we have assisted with the arrival of 15 people to Palmerston North, and have committed funds to help a further two families. We have already paid a deposit for travel for one of these families whom we expect to arrive in the next month or so.
In November we were delighted to be the recipients of a fundraiser run by Zonta Club of Manawatu, resulting in a donation of around $7000. In February we ran our Valentine’s Day Dinner and Auction, with the help of Red Cross. It was well supported by the community and raised around $5000. In March we were successful in obtaining three years worth of funding at $8,288.00 p.a. from Palmerston North City Council to employ a part time fundraiser. This is a significant development, which will allow us to help more families and put the Trust on a more sustainable footing. We have also received generous donations from the Olive Tree Trust, Catholic Charities Allocation Committee, the Thomas McCarthy Trust and members of the public. A community ceilidh was organized to raise funds for us in November. With our successful fundraising we hope to be able to allocate funding for a seventh family very soon.
Lorna Johnson Chair MRRFT
Last week we were delighted to welcome 3 members of a third family group to the Manawatu. This brings to eleven the number of people who have been reunited with family living in the Manawatu this year. Thanks to all our supporters, we very much value your help, as do the families involved.
We're excited to hear that the second family we are supporting financially is expected to arrive in New Zealand within the next few weeks!
Our first family has settled well, found accommodation, and the four family members are learning English.
We now have a waiting list of families looking for help, so your continued support is very much appreciated!
We are expecting our first family of four from Afghanistan to arrive in Palmerston North in the next few weeks! They will be reunited with a sole family member who is here on her own.
