NZRAP Panel Members

Antoinette Umugwaneza arrived in Aotearoa from Rwanda in the late 90s with her husband, five children, mother-in-law, and niece. Antoinette and her family were resettled to Palmerston North, which became their second home.  

Antoinette has navigated resettlement challenges coupled with war trauma and separation from family, raising a young family and looking after an elderly family in a foreign land without much English. Despite these challenges, Antoinette and her family have flourished in Aotearoa. 

Antoinette worked for the National Bank of Rwanda. She holds a Bachelor of Economics and Social Sciences, a Diploma in Counselling and a Certificate in Adult Teaching. Antoinette has worked in progressive capacities for over a decade, supporting newly resettled families in Manawatu.

Antoinette is currently working as Settlement Lead for the New Zealand Red Cross in Palmerston North.

Antoinette is a former Manawatu Reuniting Refugee Families Trust trustee. Antoinette has worked with Palmerston North Methodist Social Services within their whanau-based Education Program. She started and coordinated the Rongopai Faith and Light Community, which supports people with intellectual disabilities and their families. 

Antoinette brings a unique perspective, given her varied experience in refugee matters and the disability, youth, and older people sectors. Antoinette loves gardening, crafts and sewing.  Antoinette joined the NZRAP in June 2022.

Somali-born Ayan Said has lived in Auckland for over 20 years. Ayan is currently working as a Regional Refugee Health Promoter for Te Whatu Ora – starship community Te Toka Tumai Auckland.

Ayan is passionate about advancing the health and social well-being, inclusion, and representation of New Zealand's

ethnic and former refugee communities. Ayan has been working in health promotion for the last eight years, working to make a positive difference in the lives of refugee and migrant people. Ayan has worked in mental health, nutrition and healthy lifestyle, disability, and sexual and reproductive health.

Ayan has a Bachelor of Health Science double major in psychology and health promotion and a Master's in Public Health. Ayan is currently undertaking a PhD at the Auckland University of Technology in public health literacy.

Ayan has contributed to projects on these subjects, written relevant content, spoken at public events, and supported related research and community-led initiatives within Aotearoa's African and former refugee communities.  Ayan joined the NZRAP in June 2022.

Jane Smith is deeply committed to supporting children with Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and trauma backgrounds in their education and learning journey. She holds a postgraduate certificate in health science with a mental health endorsement from the University of Otago, and a postgraduate diploma in education from the University of Canterbury. With a diverse background in humanitarian work, including roles with UNICEF, the International Labour Organization, and various NGOs, Jane is currently pursuing a Master of Public Policy at The University of Auckland.

As a survivor of domestic violence and a Convention Refugee, Jane prioritises providing a nurturing and secure environment for her two children in Aotearoa, New Zealand. She works part-time, supporting neurodiverse learners and tutoring ESOL students while serving on the Sparklers Advisory Board, an organisation focused on promoting well-being and mental health in New Zealand schools.

Jane advocates for inclusive and culturally safe educational environments, believing every child deserves equal opportunities for academic success. She fosters empathy, understanding, and individualised support to help students overcome trauma and thrive academically, striving to ensure that every child reaches their full potential. Jane joined the NZRAP in March 2024.

Jose Tombe, an Industrial Engineer, currently working as a senior adviser for the Ministry of Education New Zealand, is a former refugee and a dedicated advocate for refugee rights and empowerment. Arriving in New Zealand as an asylum seeker in 2020 from Colombia, he worked tirelessly in Colombia to upskill young people from vulnerable communities, providing education and mentoring to help them become entrepreneurs. Over a decade, Jose collaborated with government agencies, non-profits, and universities, mentoring innovation and entrepreneurship methodologies to various audiences.

In New Zealand, Jose gained firsthand experience navigating immigration processes and understands the challenges refugees face. He was selected to be sponsored to participate in the skilled migrant programme at Victoria University of Wellington. This programme is highly competitive and assists skilled migrants in transitioning to their professional fields in New Zealand. Jose also volunteered as a communication facilitator for the Ministry of Ethnic Communities during the pandemic, advising on fit-for-purpose strategies for the refugee community.

Jose is a highly motivated individual with a proven track record of successfully organising and executing organisation-level strategic planning and reporting processes. His background in New Zealand involves providing strategic and business process advice across various government agencies such as the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Ethnic Communities, and Ministry of Social Development. Committed to amplifying the voices of underrepresented groups, particularly the refugee rainbow community, Jose aspires to leverage his leadership to advocate for policies promoting economic inclusion and integration into New Zealand society. Jose joined the NZRAP in March 2024.

Born and raised in Pakistan, Madiha Ali Changezi arrived in New Zealand five years ago, having previously lived in Indonesia as refugees. Madiha has recently graduated from the University of Waikato with LLB (Hons) and is currently working at the Auckland High Court as a Judges’ Clerk. Madiha hopes to eventually use her legal expertise to advocate for the rights of forcibly displaced populations worldwide.

With a passion for justice, equity and community empowerment, Madiha engages in various initiatives aimed at empowering and supporting the refugee community in Aotearoa and elsewhere. Madiha is currently part of the Youth Advisory Group of the Ministry of Youth Development where she has constantly advocated for refugee youth voices to be heard in the policy-making space. Madiha has recently joined the Refugee Advisory Group for Resettlement and Complementary Pathways (CRCP) for the UNHCR.

In Indonesia, Madiha worked as a volunteer teacher in a community-based learning centre for refugees supported by Same Skies International. Madiha is now part of the Australian Board for Same Skies and represented Same Skies on the Steering Committee of a global initiative called Refugee Self-Reliance Initiative (RSRI).

Madiha strongly believes in the power of unity and always sees the glass as half-full. Madiha joined the NZRAP in June 2022.

Oo Meh is Karenni, an ethnic minority from Myanmar. She was born in Thailand in a Karenni refugee camp along the Thai–Myanmar border. She describes life in the refugee camp as simple but challenging for her family, who lived with no electricity or way to earn a livelihood. Her family were not allowed to leave the camp other than for urgent medical care. 

Oo Meh's family arrived in Aotearoa in April 2006 and moved to Porirua. Oo Meh Nga is now a 24-year-old nurse who still lives in Porirua with her son. Oo Meh also completed a Bachelor of Nursing at Whitireia in 2020.

Growing up in Aotearoa, Oo Meh understands the challenges many refugees face when accessing education and health care and adapting to the Kiwi lifestyle. Oo Meh is grateful to be in Aotearoa as she accomplished her dream of becoming a nurse. She is passionate about helping those in need and giving back to society.

By combining her experience with her professional occupation, Oo Meh hopes to give a voice to refugees and former refugees and navigate the barriers refugees experience. She is excited to be part of the NZ RAP and looks forward to what can be achieved. Oo Meh joined the NZRAP in June 2022.

Paula Santacruz is an enrolled barrister and solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand and a community advocate.

Originally from Colombia, having arrived in Aotearoa at age 15 in 2014 through the Refugee Family Support Category, she has been engaged in the refugee sector since 2016. Paula has worked with the Ministry of Education as a bicultural tutor, NZ Red Cross as a cross-cultural worker and interpreter, Aotearoa Latin American Community Inc. as a researcher and community worker, Challenge 2000 as a project co-leading facilitator and coordinator, and NZ National Refugee Association as an office manager. Paula has also volunteered at the Citizens Advice Bureau and Community Law. She currently works in the private sector, but continues to volunteer for the cause including through a project of her own which seeks to support Latin Americans in NZ to learn to navigate “NZ’s system” in Spanish via different social media platforms- Let’s Navigate NZ Trust.

Paula graduated from Victoria University with a Bachelor of Law and completed her Professional Legal Studies Course in 2021. She is passionate about working with grassroots communities, and believes that a successful integration is hugely dependent on accessing appropriate opportunities to lead purposeful lives. Paula joined the NZRAP in June 2022.

Rabia Talal Almbaid is a former refugee from Syria who has called Aotearoa home since 2017. He seamlessly blends his rich cultural background with extensive experience in fostering trust and assurance within communities in New Zealand.

His journey includes leadership and applied management studies, which have led to impactful roles with the New Zealand Red Cross, Te Whatu Ora Southern, and the Ministry of Social Development. Currently, he serves as a Senior Partnerships Advisor – Ethnic at New Zealand Police National Headquarters, extending his advisory reach globally. Rabia plays a role in the Refugee Advisory Group for Resettlement and Complementary Pathways (CRCP), formerly the Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement (ATCR) for the UNHCR.

Rabia has built a reputation based on a positive outlook, community trust and confidence, and the ability to offer pragmatic solutions. His journey involves influencing change supported by lived experience and centers around community well-being. In his free time, Rabia enjoys his fitness journey, travelling, and quality time with friends and family. Rabia joined the NZRAP in June 2022.

Vira Paky is a first-generation Congolese-Kiwi storyteller and activist, raised in Tāmaki Makaurau and based in Te Whanganui-a-tara. Most days, she works as an Engagement and Community Development practitioner with a focus on engaging youth and diverse communities. She has consulted and advised on political campaigns, civics education projects, public awareness activations, and formal government engagement processes, utilising her lived refugee experience to ensure the presence of refugee youth voices across local and central Government and the NGO sector.

Vira is the former Chairperson of the New Zealand National Refugee Youth Council and holds multiple panel and board appointments with organisations such as Auckland Council, CreateHappyMedia and Inspiring Stories. She is also the co-founder of the Black Oceania Collective, an organization that is dedicated to the unity and visibility of Black migrants and refugees across the Asia-Pacific region.

For her community work and leadership, Vira has been recognised as one of the New Zealanders to Watch in 2024 by the Sunday Star Times, a UNICEF Young Ambassador, a Gary Ware Humanitarian Legacy Award Recipient and a Waitematā Good Citizens Award Recipient. Vira joined the NZRAP in March 2024.