We Say/You Say: Water committees
Hi Canterbury,
Have you got what it takes to join your local water committee?
Environment Canterbury have put out a call for Cantabrians to join their local water zone committees, with 9 out of 10 bodies requiring new members.
The committees' responsibility is to develop various plans of action that aim to deliver on Environment Canterbury's water conservation goals as published in the Canterbury Water Management Strategy.
Targets include improvements to the local ecosystem, efficient water usage and adherence to the principles of Kaitiakitanga - a Māori worldview on environment management.
Lower Waitaki Water Zone Committee Chair Bruce Murphy was selected to his local committee a few years ago and is pleased with the work that has been done to improve the health of his local waterway.
"I joined the committee to continue improving the health of Waikakahi Stream, which 25 years ago was in a bad state. Thanks to buy-in from the community, it is now a healthy fishery and I want to keep it that way," he said.
Applications close May 10.
Share your thoughts below and don't forget to type NFP if you don't want your comments featured in the Northern Outlook.
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Hero
“I was born and raised in war. To be honest, those are not good memories.
I really like Iran, and I really miss it, but I couldn’t be myself there. Even though my family didn’t like my decision, I left Iran. I promised myself that I would do whatever I can for all communities, especially for the kids, so they do not have the same experience I had.
I studied software engineering in Iran and left in 2006. I went to Malaysia and stayed in Kuala Lumpur for seven years. I was admitted to Lincoln University to do my PhD here, but unfortunately, I couldn’t afford the expenses. I requested a scholarship, but they told me I had to be there for six months first. So, I stayed in Malaysia and did my PhD in network security. In December 2013, I came to New Zealand with a work visa.
It took me a while to connect with the Iranian community here. I volunteered with the Multicultural Council, SPCA, and community patrol, and I established the Christchurch Iranian Society in 2017. Before that, I started working on Radio Toranj, the only Farsi-language radio show in New Zealand.
One of the reasons I started organizing cultural events was to showcase Iranian culture. I wanted to show people that we have delicious food, colorful dresses, traditional customs, and our own instruments. My hope was to show people that we are not what you see in the media.
I am working to involve all the communities that celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the Nowruz festival in March 2025. We want to share this celebration not only with our community but with the public as well. It’s better when it’s shared.
I remember the first time someone from Dunedin called me and asked, Hero, can you help? Something happened, and they keep declining Iranian visa applications. When I heard that, I felt insulted. We are still human, so how can they do that?
Through this journey, I’ve learned a lot. Every single day, people with different cases call me, and I try to share my knowledge and guide them as much as I can.
I have received several awards, including the Christchurch Civic Award and an Award of Recognition for my contributions to the community during the pandemic. In 2021, I established Canterbury Kia Ora Academy, a charitable trust. Through this charity, I can help other communities as well, not just the Iranian community.”
- Hero
View more stories, or nominate someone: @humansofchch
www.humansofchch.org......
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