Join 25-year-old Hussain Shah Rezaie on his remarkable journey from a remote Afghan village to a refugee detention facility in Indonesia and now, after nearly a decade in limbo, to a new life as a permanent resident of Aotearoa New Zealand. (You can read his full story here).

Hussain arrived in Auckland on November 29th, 2023 with no money, no formal educational qualifications, and virtually no possessions aside from the donated laptop on which he has composed an ever-growing collection of short stories, personal essays, and poems. Here are three ways that you can become a part of his story by supporting him in his work as a writer, his educational aspirations, and his journey to a brighter future.

become a subscriber

Sign up for a paid subscription to Hussain’s newsletter, Walk With Me, to read his beautiful stories, poetry, and essays about the refugee experience and his new life in Aotearoa. ($8/month)

Goal: 100+ paid subscribers

This number will provide Hussain with dedicated writing time equivalent to 12 hrs/wk of work at minimum wage.

make a donation

We welcome all donations, large or small! Every cent that you contribute (minus banking and credit card fees) will go directly towards Hussain’s future educational expenses.

Goal: $25,000

This amount will cover 3 years of university tuition and associated expenses.

offer your services

Do you have skills as a teacher, writer, editor, journalist, barber, guidance counsellor, tour guide, or anything else that could help Hussain and his support team? We’d love to hear from you!

Goal: A global community

Hussain will arrive in New Zealand on his own. Let’s make sure that he doesn’t feel alone in the world!