Help us get back to helping others

Hi, my name is Arman, my partner and I are both ophthalmologists who moved to New Zealand a year ago with the dream of continuing our medical careers here. We brought along our little dachshund, Lucky, who made the long journey with us.

Our goal is to get our medical degrees recognized by the Medical Council of New Zealand so we can return to doing what we love — helping people see better. But between the high cost of the required postgraduate program, the move itself, and the complex process of bringing Lucky safely here, we didn’t anticipate just how much we’d need financially.

Since arriving, I’ve been working full-time as a barista, while my partner studies and prepares for the exams — and only I’m currently able to work full-time. Our income just covers the basics: rent, food, and public transport. Saving for the verification process under these conditions has been nearly impossible.

Realistically, it would take us several more years to afford this on our own. But every year we’re unable to apply is another year we can’t practice the profession we’ve dedicated our lives to.

We’re asking for a little help to bridge this gap — so we can finally return to the work we love: helping people see the world more clearly.

Thank you for reading and for any support — it truly means the world to us.