For Sabelo, keeping his hands busy while volunteering with Red Cross is more than just a way to give back – it was also an important part of his own recovery journey after a stroke.

There’s always a flurry of activity when volunteer Jasmin is asked to help welcome a former refugee family to Invercargill. She explains how she and her fellow volunteers prepare for new arrivals, what they do to help families settle in, and how her own family gets involved.

Southland community has welcomed former refugees with warmth and kind hearts as they rebuild their lives in Aotearoa New Zealand. Samuel, Nelson, and Leudy are just three of the 353 former refugees who have come to Southland since New Zealand Red Cross began providing settlement services in Invercargill in 2018.

Sometimes it is the little things that we take for granted. For Alejandra, living in Invercargill means providing a better life for her family.