Taupō schools show support for Ukraine

Mountview School was a sea of blue and yellow as students and teachers got behind a fundraiser for Ukraine. Photo / Supplied

Taupō schools were a sea of blue and yellow last Friday as students and teachers got behind a fundraising effort for Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's attempt to redraw the map of Europe risks becoming the most devastating conflict on the continent since World War II.

Already, it is causing an astounding humanitarian crisis: Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of civilians have died, and more than 1.5 million people have fled the violence so far, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, making it the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.

At a national level, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced on Monday a C-130 Hercules aircraft would travel to Europe with 50 Defence Force personnel, to help transport and distribute donated military aid to Ukraine.

Back here in Taupō, a pair of Hilltop School students decided they wanted to support Ukraine in their own way.

Heather and Ben Clark contacted their school principal and asked if their school could organise a "blue and yellow day" to raise money for the refugees in Ukraine.

Students and teachers were encouraged to bring a gold coin donation towards the fundraiser and wear blue and yellow for the day.

All money raised will go towards humanitarian relief in Ukraine through organisations such as ShelterBox and the Red Cross.

This led to other schools in Taupō organising their own blue and yellow day.

One of those was Mountview School where students Koda Tawhara-Everest, 12, and Remsha Batwal, 12, were eager to get involved.

"Ukraine is a country that wants its own freedom," Remsha says.

Koda says what Russia is doing to Ukraine is sad.

"I reckon if we all do our part and help out, it will be pretty good."

Koda says it was nice to see so many people at the school get behind the cause on Friday.

"I wasn't expecting a lot of people to dress up in yellow and blue, because it's not many people's colour, but it was pretty good to see people dressed in yellow and blue."