Vineeta Rao
Auckland, June 13, 2025
When Nishadi arrived in Wellington from Sri Lanka, she didn’t know anyone. She was thousands of kilometers from home, juggling the demands of a PhD and the quiet ache of isolation.
“I was searching for belonging,” she recalls. “Not just a place to live, but people to belong to.”
What she found, unexpectedly, was community—one volunteer shift at a time.
As New Zealand marks National Volunteer Week from June 15 to 21, South Asian migrants like Nishadi are stepping into the spotlight, helping build a stronger, more connected Aotearoa. From sorting second-hand clothes in South Auckland to teaching English in Christchurch, their stories reflect this year’s theme: “Weaving the people together.”
And woven they are, into classrooms, festivals, charity shops, and neighbourhoods, stitching threads of compassion and connection that cross culture, language, and faith.
From Loneliness to Leadership
Now immersed in academic research on migrant loneliness, Nishadi first dipped her toe into volunteering through small acts, helping out at student events during Youth Volunteer Week, and joining Victoria University’s Wellington International Leadership Programme (WILP).
But something changed. “Volunteering gave me more than a break from study stress. It gave me perspective. And it gave me people.”
Soon she was helping organise Wellington’s CubaDupa festival, contributing to the Red Cross, and supporting international student buddies.
“It is not always about big moments,” she says. “Sometimes, it is the quiet kindness between strangers that changes everything.”
These days, she channels that same kindness into cakes—literally. Her next personal project? Baking a large-scale donation for underprivileged children. “Every cupcake is a little thread of connection.”
Sparking a purpose
Madila Awalini’s journey into volunteering began in tragedy. Based in Papakura, she was still finding her feet in 2019 when the Christchurch mosque attacks shook the country. The tragedy, and the courage of first responders, left a mark on her heart.
“I was deeply moved by the St John ambulance staff,” she says. “I felt a duty to do something.”
Just three months after arriving, Madila signed up to volunteer at the local St John Opportunity Shop—a commitment she has kept ever since.
“I work full-time, so my weekends go to the shop. From the first shift, I felt like I was part of something bigger.”
At the till, sorting donations or chatting with regulars, she has seen firsthand the ripple effect of reuse. “Every second-hand item we sell avoids landfill. But it also gives people dignity—a good coat, a nice book, a warm blanket.”
For Madila, the experience has been transformative. “I have built friendships, learnt patience, and seen generosity in action. It is not charity—it is community.”
Speaking the Language of Kindness
Shrestha Saha Chakraborty, a banker from West Bengal, moved to Christchurch earlier this year with no plans beyond settling in. But she found a powerful way to connect through language.
At the Hagley Adult Learning Centre, she volunteers at English classes for adult learners—many of whom, like her, are migrants building new lives.
“I supported their reading and writing, helped them practise conversations. Just being there made me feel calm and useful,” she says.
It was not the grammar drills that mattered, it was the human exchange. “I made friends. I saw their confidence grow. Volunteering reminded me what is truly important.”
A National Movement With Migrant Momentum
Their stories are powerful, but they are not isolated.
According to Stats NZ’s 2023 General Social Survey, around 1.1 million New Zealanders over the age of 15, that is more than one in every four, volunteered through formal organisations in the previous month. Even more (31.5%) volunteered informally, helping friends, neighbours, or their local communities.
Volunteers clocked a staggering 159 million hours in the year ending March 2021—the equivalent of 76,000 full-time jobs.
But there is a catch.
Formal volunteering rates among ethnic minorities and migrant communities remain lower than the national average. Experts say that is changing, slowly but surely, as more newcomers seek connection, confidence, and community through service.
One Thread at a Time
Whether it is through cupcakes or conversations, second-hand goods or study support, South Asian volunteers are quietly but powerfully transforming the communities they now call home.
In doing so, they are not just helping others, they are helping themselves, finding purpose, building friendships and discovering, piece by piece, that they too belong.
As National Volunteer Week unfolds, it is worth remembering in the weaving of a nation, every thread counts.
For those new to volunteering, go here:
https://www.volunteeringnz.org.nz/resources/volunteers/finding-volunteer-roles
Got a story of service to share?
Indian Newslink is profiling migrant volunteers across New Zealand. If you or someone you know is making a difference, we’d love to hear from you. Write to us at vineeta@indiannewslink.co.nz
Vineeta Rao is an Indian Newslink Reporter based in Auckland.
