People from refugee backgrounds bring diversity and cultural and social richness to communities and workplaces around Aotearoa New Zealand.

People like Elie Balyamhamwabo Zagabe, who is getting used to the new food, language and culture of Aotearoa New Zealand after 12 years in a refugee camp in Malawi. Elie and his family fled violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo. With his wife, Irene, and four children, the Zagabe family is embracing life in Masterton after arriving three months ago.

When Ayman arrived in Palmerston North in June 2024, he carried a mix of hope and uncertainty. After spending his childhood in a refugee camp in Bangladesh, Aotearoa New Zealand offered a safe place with opportunities – yet everything was unfamiliar. The language, education system and even the rhythm of daily life were all new. The path ahead felt both exciting and uncertain.

When Otie arrived in Aotearoa New Zealand in November 2000, he woke to a quiet morning and realised how far he had come. The sounds were different, the air was colder, and the sky felt wide and open. “I didn’t know where I was,” he recalled with a smile. “But I knew I was safe.”

Imagine how you would cope if you were forced to start your life all over again. Starting from scratch in a foreign country, far away from friends and family, from familiar surroundings – and all in a language you can’t read or speak.

For Dee Magee, owner of a busy pharmacy in Nelson’s Victory Square, a business challenge in 2013 became an opportunity that transformed her workplace and deepened her connection to the community. As more families from refugee backgrounds settled in the area, Dee recognised a growing communication barrier that could impact patient safety.