Newly arrived migrant children and young people recently enjoyed a weekend camp full of fun, friendship and excitement thanks to the Al Murtaza Association.
Based in Glen Eden, the association supports newly arrived immigrants from India and Pakistan. ‘We help them adjust to life in New Zealand and connect them to the Indian and Pakistani communities out West,’ explains Dr Muhammad Sajjad, Al Murtaza’s President.
The registered charity has a busy programme of events and activities to bring people together. ‘Since 2002, we have organised numerous gatherings and year-round activities for community engagement, development, and education,’ says Muhammad.
Cultural and religious festivals like Eid are celebrated with picnics and special events. And days out to places like Kelly Tarlton’s and cycling trips help new members of the community to make friends and develop support networks.
The association also oversees a women’s career development programme. From driving lessons to hands-on training in the accountancy software Xero, the programme helps women develop the skills needed in the workplace.
Children and young people are another strong focus. The association already has a long-running and popular Sunday School in operation. And this year, for the first time, Al Murtaza organised a very successful free summer camp for Sunday School members.
Thanks partly to the funding of $20,000 from the Your West Support Fund, up to 75 young people aged 5 to 18 could attend the weekend camp at Carey Park’s One Big Adventure Camp.
‘It was a fantastic weekend,’ declares Muhammad. ‘The camp offered personal development activities and outdoor adventures that our young people had never experienced before,’ he added.
Furthermore, a large number of parents volunteered to help out over the weekend, making it a real community initiative.
Muhammad says that the association is very grateful for the help of the Your West Support Fund. ‘The funding was key to us making a difference on the ground for these young people,’ he says. The weekend will go a long way to ensuring these youth settle into life in New Zealand.
Check out the Al Murtaza Association’s website or Facebook page for more information about the great work of this vital charity.
