New Zealand paddler Mike Dawson has been helping out some locals while in Rio getting ready for the Olympic Games.

He has been handing out food parcels in the city's favelas, working in tandem with local kayaker Pepe Goncalves.

Dawson has spent a total of nine weeks training in the city. He helped fund his Olympic campaign by creating and selling a cookbook entitled, 'Eat like the locals,' so decided helping feed the locals was a fitting way to pay forward the support he's been shown.

New Zealand Olympic kayaker Mike Dawson has been giving food to the poor in the favelas of Rio.

"My cookbook was a way to self-fund my campaign and get me as much time on the Rio course as possible and it was successful beyond my wildest dreams," he said.

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SUPPLIED While in Rio ahead of the Olympics, Kiwi kayaker Mike Dawson has been handing out food parcels to local families.

"I've loved coming to Rio and the city is incredible but just around the corner from this massive Olympic production are people living in absolute poverty. That was pretty eye-opening, coming from New Zealand, with whole families living on the streets and kids with nothing. So many people from New Zealand supported me and I thought it would be kind of cool to share that support."

Dawson has been visiting favelas that surround the Olympic Whitewater Stadium where he will be competing next month, with Goncalves helping and translating.

"We were able to find out a lot more about why they were living on the streets and how delighted they were to get help, although it's been a bit heart-wrenching, seeing little kids' eyes light up at just a little bit of food," he said.

MIKE DAWSON Brazilian kayaker Pepe Goncalves with Sophie, one of the many homeless children on the streets of Rio.

The duo have targeted a couple of families who they are familiar with, aiming to provide a year's supply of food, with Dawson helping throughout the games, then Goncalves taking over once they are over.

Dawson's cookbook fundraiser came about after his funding was cut in the wake of his 28th place finish at last year's world championships. So far, he has sold nearly 700 copies.

His Olympics campaign gets underway on the second day of the games, August 8 New Zealand time.

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