The Afghan former refugee youth of Ashburton have been working on a photography project over the past six months and will be sharing it with the community during World Refugee Week.

Their photographs will be on display from 16-22 June in a special exhibition called Pixel Realm on the first floor of the Ashburton Library.

The aim of the project was to use photographs as a medium to visually express their experiences and feelings of settling in New Zealand, and to have a voice and an opportunity to show and discuss with each other what is significant to them.

The final stage of the project was for the youth, with support from facilitators, to organise an exhibition to share the images with the wider Ashburton community.

Council Group Manager of Democracy and Engagement Toni Durham said Ashburton was proud of its status as a refugee resettlement town and she encouraged people to view the exhibition.

“Refugees are ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances and it’s not an easy journey from a place where they’ve been persecuted for their ethnicity, religion or beliefs.

“They arrive in New Zealand with few possessions and having left behind family and friends. This photography exhibition is a way for young people to tell their story to the wider community and help them look forward, in a safe space.”

This project has been kindly supported by Mixit NZ (creative arts empowering youth from migrant and refugee backgrounds); Safer Mid Canterbury; Welcoming Communities; ADC Creative Communities Scheme and Ashburton Library.