Kia ora e te whānau, 

Welcome to Trimester 2! May you feel empowered knowing that your experience matters and your University community believes in your strengths. We’re here to support you—reach out for help when you need it. Read on to learn about the support available to you and great opportunities coming up this Trimester.

Here's what's in our newsletter:

• Te Herenga Waka Refugee-Background Community Celebration 
• New Vic Without Barriers leaders 
• Refugee-background students’ study collective
• NZ Refugee Health Scholarship 2027
• Your Student Success Adviser
• Public transport discounts 
• Staying Warm This Winter
• Mauri Ora—Student Health and Counselling
• Student columns by Kit Hung and Hannah Celestial
• Your Refugee-background Students’ Adviser
• Developing strong, supportive friendships

Abdul Samad Haidari
Kaiārahi Tauira Konene—Refugee Background Student Adviser

Te Herenga Waka Refugee-background Community Celebration 

You’re invited for an afternoon of poetry, storytelling, singing, kai, and whakawhanaungatanga at the Te Herenga Waka Refugee-background Community Celebration.

We’re celebrating and honouring the incredible achievements and contributions of our refugee-background student whānau at the University. This includes our recent graduates, alumni, and current students who have made this community rich in diversity and meaningful with their inspiring contributions and achievements. Please join us!

• When: 2–4 pm, Monday 27 July 2026
• Where: The Hub, Kelburn campus
• RSVP: Please RSVP
• Questions? Contact Abdul at refugee-backgroundstudents@vuw.ac.nz

New Vic Without Barriers leaders

Vic Without Barriers, a student-led group passionate about creating a more inclusive, accessible, and equitable community experience for everyone has a new leadership team:

• President: Hanadi Al Mashhdani
• Vice President: Inacio Moreira
• Treasurer Officer: Farina Anchico
• Social Media and Communications Officer: Sacha Beaumier
• Equity and Inclusion Representatives: Bosco Yip and Awet Tsegay

“We are looking forward building welcoming community and organising engaging activities that will bring our whānau together for collective studies, group assignment sessions through shared experience, friendship and aroha.” – Vic Without Barriers team.

To connect with the leadership team or learn more about Vic Without Barriers: 

• Email: withoutbarriesrsvic7@gmail.com
• Follow them on Instagram and/or Facebook

Front row (left to right): Sacha, Hanadi, Bosco, and Abdul (Refugee-background Students' Adviser). Back row (left to right): Farina and Inacio.

New Zealand Refugee Health Scholarship 2027

The New Zealand Refugee Health Scholarship supports former refugees and children of former refugees in New Zealand to pursue health-related qualifications (Level 7 and above), to strengthen refugee health workforce and community outcomes.

Successful applicants receive a one-year scholarship of up to NZD $25,000, including up to $5,000 for course-related costs (like tuition, fees, and equipment) and up to $20,000 for living expenses.

Scholarship details can be found online at Immigration New Zealand. Scholarship enquiries can be emailed to nzrefugeehealthscholarships@mbie.govt.nz.

Eligibility and application information is provided online at Universities New Zealand. Application enquiries can be emailed to scholarships-cf@universitiesnz.ac.nz.

You can also learn more by registering for an online information session happening from noon–12.30 pm, Wednesday 2 September 2026.

• Applications open:  Wednesday 1 July 2026
• Applications close: Thursday 1 October 2026

Refugee-background Students’ Study Collective 

Your Student Success Adviser

You have a Student Success Adviser to support your studies—they can help you with planning your degree, course advice, and navigating the student administration processes.

If you’re unsure who your Student Success Adviser is, you can find their contact details online in Pūaha. To get in touch, send your adviser an email first, including your full name and student ID.

For general enquiries, contact Titoko—Centre for Student Succes.

Public Transport Discounts

If you’re studying full-time (or limited full-time), you can fill out a tertiary concession application to get 25% off bus and ferry travel when using a red Snapper card.

If you have a community services card, get 50% off public transport fares when you use a red Snapper card on buses, trains, and ferries. Find out more through the Community Connect Programme and apply online.

 Visit Metlink to find out about other fare concessions.

Staying warm this winter

Winter in Wellington can be chilly! If you are struggling with power bills or need warm clothing, support is available.

Come to the 4th annual Student Finance & VUWSA winter clothing drive and Wellbeing Expo. Find free winter clothes to take home so you can stay warm, activities, and helpful tips to ensure you stay well over winter.

• When: 10.30 am, Thursday 16 July
• Where: The Hub, Kelburn campus.

Get in touch with Student Finance Advisers for support with a range of financial needs.

For help with essential medical, dental, or optical costs, or unexpected expenses like power bills or family/flatting issues, you can apply for the Hardship Fund or emergency financial support. To apply, email student-hardship@vuw.ac.nz for an appointment to discuss your circumstances.

Mauri Ora—Student Health and Counselling

You can see a GP, Nurse Practitioner, or nurse on campus through Mauri Ora—Student Health and Counselling.

To use these medical services, enrol with Mauri Ora—Student Health and Counselling with as your primary healthcare provider.

If you’re not enrolled, you can still access some services, including counselling (please complete the online intake form first).

If you need non-urgent support with accessing Mauri Ora services, you can contact one of the Health Navigators at hauoranavigator@vuw.ac.nz.

For appointments or general enquiries, call 04 0463 5308 or email mauriora@vuw.ac.nz

In an emergency, dial 111. If you’re on campus, you can also call 0800 842 8888 to have Campus Security guide the ambulance to you.

Students' column

Yannis Leung, Bosco Yip, and Bosco's friend at an event for the Te Tohu Rauhi—Wellington Plus Programme.

Close within, yet far from reach

By Bosco Yip
Bachelor of Computer Science

I was born in Hong Kong. In 2019, everything changed when I became a refugee. The loneliness felt like being wrapped in fog—waiting on an unknown timeline, feeling fear, exhaustion, and a lack of purpose.

The separation from my mother and difficult journey was difficult. I only heard my mother’s voice through a phone’s speaker. Holding onto seeing her again one day helped me through long nights, exam deadlines, and ordinary days which felt heavy.

My mother showed up strong on the phone, but recently shared her reflections on the journey(translated below), revealing that we both felt the separation deeply.

Six years is a long time to be apart from your child. There wasn’t a single moment that I didn’t worry about my son during those years. The impact affected everything. Even though he would say he was alright, I worried until I held him in my arms.  Being reunited has brought me tremendous comfort. I feel light, motivated and focused. Most importantly, I can celebrate my son’s achievements with him. I’ve started replanning my life, learning about healing, and slowly taking ownership of what comes next.

—Yannis Leung

When my mother finally arrived here, it was like being reborn. I hadn’t notice how divided I’d felt until I wasn’t anymore—as though warmth rushed into a cold place that I’d forgotten could feel warm. A part of me had been reaching elsewhere, but now I’m fully here, and I can see the future.

I think often about people still on that side of the wait and encourage those people to stay focused and keep the faith for a reunion. When that day comes, the joy will be worth every day that came before it. Reunion changes not just how we feel, but how we show up, share goals, build, give, and create with others.

Dancing with the light before me

By Hannah Celestial

Hannah completed her English for Academic Purposes and plans to study accounting at the University.  

To me, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a vibrant place full of music, heat, and laughter. I carry memories of colourful streets, neighbours watching us grow, and daily life rhythms, things that I’d underestimated the importance of until they were left behind.

There’s a version of migration where people research neighbourhoods, ship furniture, and arrive smiling with a plan, but that wasn’t my family’s story. I was young when my family left the DRC, but not too young to understand that we weren’t going on a vacation. I saw fear in my parents’ faces and their voices dropped—we were escaping. South Africa gave us refuge, but we felt invisible as a family in a country that hadn’t chosen us. Arriving without papers, status, and the confidence of a passport, created uncertainty.  Time helped me acclimatise to the challenges. My dream and vision carried me through difficult days and became clearer as I grew older—a stable future and a better life for myself and my family.

This became possible when my family and I were resettled in Aotearoa New Zealand. Arriving here felt strangely different, and it took time to adapt, but I felt hope again. You know how it feels when you stand on top of a mountain, see everything around you clearly, and shout as loud as you wish? I’ve felt that freedom in New Zealand. I developed a sense of self-agency that I hadn’t felt before—I had opportunities not just to start something, but to finish it.

Each day, I’ve felt more motivated to build my future. I’ve learned that while change can be difficult, it can also open doors that we never knew existed. English for Academic Purposes at Victoria University of Wellington was one of those doors—I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to complete this programme with the help of amazing people. The next chapter of my life will be studying accounting at the University—I enjoy working with numbers and solving problems. I believe education is one of the most powerful tools a person can have, and I intend to use this opportunity as fully as I can. 

My journey from the Congo to South Africa to New Zealand had challenges, and yet the ending turned out to be a light before me. Although the path hasn’t been easy, I’m proud of how far I’ve come.

Do you have a helpful study tip, a way to look after your wellbeing, a story, or a piece of artwork that might lift someone’s spirits? We want to hear from you!

Send us a short submission for our student column with your practical advice or positive perspective. It could be about:

• How you manage your workload.
• What helps you stay connected.
• Something that made your day better.
• Part of your journey—whether about climate, humanity, courage, strength, achievements, or life experiences.

Submissions should be:

• Uplifting, encouraging,and/or empowering.
• Focused on study, wellbeing, and/or campus life.
• If written: submitted as a Word document (250 words or less).
• If artwork: submitted as a JPEG or PNG (max 10MB) with a short blurb in a Word document (60 words or less).

We’ll feature selected tips and artwork in our newsletter to support and inspire others.

📧 Send your tips to: Refugee-BackgroundStudents@vuw.ac.nz

🗓️ You can submit anytime.
📝 Please note: submissions may be edited for clarity or length.

Meet your Refugee-Background Students' Adviser

Wellbeing Kete—Developing strong, supportive friendships 

The Wellbeing Kete brings together practical wellbeing skills to support you during your studies and beyond. Starting the trimester is a great time to focus on connection. The Developing strong, supportive friendships module supports you to build confidence in your relationships—whether you’re meeting new people or strengthening existing connections. 

Check out the Wellbeing Kete and follow Student Equity and Wellbeing on Instagram or Facebook on for Wellbeing Kete quick tips. 

Stay connected

Check out our website for useful information www.wgtn.ac.nz/refugee-background

Follow us on Instagram @vuwequitywellbeing

Connect with us on Facebook

Questions? Email refugee-backgroundstudents@vuw.ac.nz