The Prime Minister says 750 Syrian refugees will cost the country a cool $50 million. Others say contribute far more to our community than what they cost – and here's the evidence.

"We hear about the benefits of sport and we'll hear about the benefits of a new flag – what we don't hear about is the positive benefits of our refugees. What would our country be without refugees?"



That's the question posed by refugee advocate Murdoch Stephens. While the Government estimates the cost of rehoming 750 Syrian refugees at $80,000 each, Murdoch says that's not a cost-benefit analysis and refugees who come here instantly want to give something back.



"Refugees have better education outcomes than immigrants," says Murdoch, lead researcher for Doing Our Bit. "If they get a job, they can be self-sufficient and that gives them a sense of security.



Murdoch is referring to refugees like Linh Ly.

READ MORE:

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* Refugee tensions on rise



* Why Kiwis should care

Linh arrived in Nelson from Vietnam 20 years ago as a 25-year-old, working in orchards to save money for a house, before buying the Loafers Bakery six years ago. He now has five children, three of whom have University degrees whilst the others are still at school.



"What is more generous than inviting someone to your country, giving them citizenship and a chance to vote?



Over the next two-and-a-half years, 750 Syrian refugees will officially arrive here to call New Zealand home.



According to the Prime Minister John Key, they'll cost us $50 million. But what becomes of them once they've been through the resettlement programme – what do they give back?



We profile four refugees who have done their bit.



GOLRIZ GHAHRAMAN



Iran





Iranian-born Golriz Ghahraman's family came to New Zealand in 1990 to seek asylum, hoping for safety and knowing if they were sent back, they would not be free.



Balancing her parents' hopes for her future and her new home country's expectations after granting her freedom is not something that Ghahraman has taken lightly.



She arrived in New Zealand as a 10-year-old after a brutal revolution and oppressive regime swept over Iran and a violent eight-year war with Iraq ripped both countries apart.



She vividly remembers arriving in New Zealand and being surprised at how kind the officials were and knowing how important their decision would be for the future of her family. "I think it's quite a heavy burden on refugee children, living up to the expectations of my parents who have risked everything to be here for me and probably their own careers too. There is a sense of responsibility of living up to the gift that New Zealand has given us."



With this as her grounding, Ghahraman has studied international human rights law and worked in prestigious locations like the Hague and the Rwanda Tribunal for the United Nations. Despite high-flying job offers from overseas, she has now committed permanently to putting her specialist skill to use for the benefit of New Zealand.



She volunteers for at least three different organisations and gives up much of her free time to give back to her community in Auckland, which she now considers her permanent home.



JOHN ROY-WOJCIECHOWSKI



Poland







John Roy-Wojciechowski was a 6-year-old in World War II when his village was invaded by Soviet Russia. His father was shot and months later his family – his mother and five siblings – were deported to a gulag in Siberia, where they were put to work clearing forest.



He arrived in New Zealand in late 1944 as an orphan, one of 733 Polish "Pahiatua children", invited to stay as temporary guests in New Zealand until the war was over.



When the war ended and Poland became a Soviet satellite, New Zealand Prime Minister Peter Fraser decided to let the children stay.



Like other Poles, Roy-Wojciechowski worked hard to master the english language. He went on to study accountancy and commerce at Victoria University and, worried New Zealanders would find his name too hard to pronounce, he turned to the phone directory to anglicise it swapping "Jan" for John and settling on 'Roy" as the shortest surname he could find.



"The New Zealand government and the New Zealand people were very generous to us when we came here ... but I feel that I have repaid the government and people of New Zealand significantly."



His contribution has been both financial and cultural.



Roy-Wojciechowski co-founded construction company Mainzeal employing 1300 staff. The company also owned leather business Mair Astley. It was in good shape with $32 million in the bank when he left the company in 1993.

He has also helped New Zealand-Polish relations, serving as Honourary Consul for Poland for 15 years and establishing a Polish Heritage Trust Museum in Howick, which he says aims to "share with the people of New Zealand the rich heritage of Poland".



Despite holding dual nationality, Roy-Wojciechowski says New Zealand is his home.



"I'm a Kiwi."

WONDIM GEBREYESUS

Ethiopia

Having grown up in Sudan at a time when conflict was a way of life, Wondim Gebreyesus feels determined to go back and help the children living there.

Gebreyesus was born in Ethiopia but his family left because of civil war and went to neighbouring Sudan. The family managed to come to New Zealand when he was 10 under the refugee quota and now at 23, he has a degree in nursing, has been awarded multiple scholarships and is currently working at Starship Hospital.

His memories of Sudan aren't traumatic but he knows the adults in his life spent most of their energy sheltering him and other children from the war going on around them. "Comparing Sudan and New Zealand is just like flipping the paper. Everything we take for granted in New Zealand you don't find there."

There have been stories of other family members in Sudan arrested or rounded up. "My parents hated it. There we always had to look over our shoulder."

Like other refugee children he says the pressure and burden of not wasting a new found freedom have sometimes weighed heavily on him, particularly at high school. "My dad always reminds me that I have been given the opportunity. It's not something the typical Kiwi would know. It's not from just my family but the whole Ethiopian community.

Completing his degree was important to him to both fulfill those expectations and be able to give back. "I decided on nursing so one day I can go back to somewhere in Africa and help. New Zealand will always be my home."

RACHEL IBAMBASI

Republic of Congo

The ability to shake all fears for her family's safety has meant Rachel Ibambasi, 20, can now finally look to the future.

With her three younger sisters and her mother, Ibambasi came to New Zealand last year after fleeing the Republic of Congo and spending two years together as refugees in Uganda.

Throughout that time the family had little money and so Ibambasi wasn't able to go to school.

Because a student loan is available to her in New Zealand, she has been able to study English and because of her love for all things practical, has started a course in welding at Auckland's Unitec campus.

She has her driver's licence and is often the voice of encouragement for her mother who has found settling a bit harder at times than her children. "I always say, if you can't do something for yourself, you can't do something for others so you have to start for yourself. Back there if there is no security you can't go to school, you can't build your life and plan your future. I feel great here."

Long-term, Ibambasi hopes to become a human rights lawyer but for now she's pursuing a career in welding so she can contribute to her community in any way she can. "People here are friendly and you feel like you are at home."

Ibambasi is looking for welding work in the afternoons, weekends and holidays to support her studies.