Thirteen schools join 10-year-old Kaia's Christchurch fundraiser

Reporter·Northern Advocate·

27 Mar, 2019 07:30 PM2 mins to read

Kids at Ohaeawai Primary School form a peace sign. Photo / supplied

A 10-year-old girl's wish to help the victims of the Christchurch terror attacks has been adopted by 13 schools and many hundreds of students around the Mid North.

In the wake of the March 15 shootings, which left 50 people dead at two mosques, Kaia Derbyshire, of Kerikeri, wanted to show solidarity with the victims and help the survivors financially, especially those who had lost family breadwinners.

She asked her principal at Bay of Islands International Academy at Te Tii, Chris Bell, for permission to hold a mufti day and urged her schoolmates to wear white as a symbol of peace. She also asked Bell to contact other schools in the area to see if they wanted to join in.

Ten-year-old Kaia Derbyshire, centre, organised a mufti day fundraiser for the Christchurch attack victims. Lending support are Bay of Islands International Academy schoolmates, from left, Aimee Croucher, 9, Hannah-May Croucher, 10, Eva Whyman, 10, Keira Featherstone, 10, and Nate Brewer, 10. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Each school took a group photo to send to the Muslim community in Christchurch and every child donated a gold coin. The total is due to be tallied up today. Kaia said she had wanted to help because if the attack had happened in Northland her parents, who are both police officers, would have been among the first responders.

She also felt affected because some of the victims, like her father, were from Fiji.

The participating schools were Hukerenui, Karetu, Kawakawa Primary, Moerewa, Motatau, Ohaeawai Primary, Opua, Paihia, Pakaraka, Springbank, Waikare, Whangaruru and Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Taumarere. Paihia Kids Music Club also took part.