October 20, 2025 • 46 mins
When Kodrean Eashae couldn’t find space for his voice, he built one.
In this episode of Baskets of Knowledge, we explore how Voice of Aroha became a home for refugee and migrant stories in Aotearoa. Kodrean shares his journey from feeling unheard to creating a platform that now uplifts hundreds of young people across New Zealand.
Expect deep reflection, practical insights, and an emotional reminder that leadership begins with community.
Listen if you’re curious about:
Refugee leadership in Aotearoa
Representation in storytelling
Building communities through aroha
Leaving a legacy as a “good ancestor”
Follow, share, and rate the podcast, your support helps amplify these voices.
#VoiceOfAroha #KodreanEashae #RefugeeVoices #CommunityLeadership #BasketsOfKnowledge #Podcast #Aotearoa
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:04):
Hey everybody, it's Prajesh herein Tana here.
Welcome to our podcast, Baskets of Knowledge chats with a
difference. In our podcast, we invite guests
from around the country and around the world to talk about
how they got to where they at the moment.
It's about a journey, it's aboutan experience, it's about their
life. Kira Kot everybody, welcome to
(00:27):
another episode of baskets of knowledge.
And hopefully you're all doing fantastically awesome.
And if you're not doing awesome,that's OK as well because you
just got to do what you can do. Tammy can't join us today
because there's a way of doing some of the cool things as
always, as a busy, busy man. But as as always, we, I like to
share what I've been learning over the last between the last
episodes. And there was a quote I came
(00:47):
across the other day when I was doing some reading and I'm going
to read the quote because there was a butcher it.
And the quote basically goes, itis not important to be
successful at what you undertake, but rather to
undertake what you'd like to be successful at.
And that was really, really powerful for me because a lot of
us chase things. We chase things and we we chase
(01:08):
them for a reason or no reason that we don't know, but we don't
think about why we're doing whatwe want to do.
You know, you, you go to university because you, you need
to go to university, find a job because you meant to be finding
a job. But if you flip the script and
go actually, what am I actually wanting to do?
What I really want to do and that is going to help you be
successful at that day. And I think it's really, really
beautiful because I think our guest today, someone that might
(01:31):
actually acknowledge what that'sbeen for that for them as the
navigate this pretty amazing journey.
But as always, it's not about me.
It's about our our gifts. And today we are very privileged
and very lucky and very honouredto have on our podcast someone
that, as I shared with them before that, I've been watching
from the the limelight, from theoutside, as they've navigated
(01:51):
some really amazing things that have shifted and changed things
for young people and for refugeeand for migrant communities here
in in New Zealand. And it's a real pleasure and a
blessing to have them spend sometime today with us.
Kyoto. And welcome to Bosses of
Knowledge Korean. Kyora, Kyora, thank you so much
for having me. No, it's all, it's all.
(02:12):
It's our pleasure and our blessing.
Cadre and people who know nothing about who you are, would
you like to explain who you are today on the 9th of October
2025? Yeah, absolutely.
And so again, thank you for having me, having this corduroy
child. And what a name, what a
beautiful name for the podcast, a basket of knowledge is.
I really like that. It's cool.
(02:33):
So to question who I am, my nameis Cadre Nishai and I came from
a place called Assyria or Mesopotamia.
Nowadays we call it Iraq. So that's a little bit of the
background on Assyrians as ethnicity.
So I come here to to what, 2018 to reunite with my family here.
(02:57):
And yeah, so this is a little bit of the background and who
come. And since then the journey
started that I'm a founder and now CEO of Voice of Arroha.
And yeah, a lot of, so I in, in some way, I call myself a
community person. So you will see me in in the
things that trying to improve the life of our communities, to
(03:21):
improve their living, make things easy for them while they
navigate life in a new place in a new country such as New
Zealand. Amazing, amazing.
I love it. I love, I love it because you're
very humble in what you have said right now.
And we're going to dig into all that as we, as we go into the
time we have with you today. So we speak about where you are
today. But if we, if we go back and
(03:42):
talk about your life and say 10 years ago, what was your life
like 10 years ago? Because what I love about you is
you, you have gone and spoken about your traditional, the name
of where you traditionally come from, not what it's called right
now. And I love that because, you
know, we all come from these worlds and then the Western
world or somebody has credited maps and has changed the names.
(04:05):
So I love how you hark back right to the the traditional
name of where you come from. But ten years ago, who was
Codrian? Well, it was terrible time.
Yeah. OK, OK.
Wait 10 years ago, what what year is that?
Is that 2000? 20/15/20. 1516 OK, so it was the
time when really my country was bad influenced by invasion of
(04:27):
ISIS, the terrorist group who came which is made all that mess
in Middle East. And you may saw the news in time
until now there's this groups around in some parts which have
caused a lot of displacements and that was the reasons that
part of my journey why we run away from the country there.
(04:50):
But before that, if I talk aboutthat background, I was a
student. I love really education and
study. I was one of the top students in
my universities that time and studied political science and
international relation. I love it on paper, but not on
the reality, especially that part of the world.
So and then, yeah, since then we've been in through this,
(05:15):
escaping the place and getting to come here.
But yeah, really, 10 years ago, I was just a student who trying
to survive that environment. But I accomplished it well and
somehow we made it happen. And also glad that we reunited
later on after 2-3 years in 2018to come here.
(05:38):
So now I call Otto Rahung. Beautiful and I and I love that
because you know, we see where you are today, but a lot of us,
as we said, we all have a story and you know, we just see the
story of the media or the news and you know, we don't know what
it's like for people that live in those in those communities.
I myself come from Zimbabwe and what you see in the news versus
(05:59):
what realities are two very different things.
So I love how you spoke about itwas it was a terrible time and
for you and your father living and then that time, what was the
moment when you realized that actually we need to get out of
here? We Was there a significant
moment or actually you just saw this, the way the world was
changing dramatically that it wasn't safe for you?
(06:19):
Yes, it was that time, especially I was talking about
2014, It was only me in the house there and it was really
like, you know how those Hollywood movies and how those
actions it is, we leave it in reality.
Unfortunately, it was terrible time.
Many people have lost their life.
(06:40):
Many people have been taken by this group.
But lucky enough, we were livingin a city.
We moved in the border and then somehow they stopped in a
certain border and say they pushit by the local forces.
And later on the international forces came in as well to help
(07:01):
the local as well. So I think it was a nightmare.
If I told the story, oh, it willtake us a lot of hours to tell
you what happened, but I think Ihad the resilience during this
time. Something that people may not
know. When these things happen, we
came up from things that you will sit on yourself.
We need to take actions to be responsible.
(07:22):
Instead of running away. I actually need to do something.
So when we done that time, therewas a lot of families and like
they said from other villages and cities, they run away to our
city. So I open it, our home, we had a
big home there, like 2 floors and the country.
So we fit 30 people just there to stay safe while, you know,
(07:44):
it'd become chaos. Imagine my city, I think it was
300, four, 100,000 as a population.
So you get a million people stayed away coming from all
this. So where they get, you know, so
we're talking about all that fear and things.
But that moment it was just for me, it was more like I am young
(08:04):
and my family was really, that time just got out to New
Zealand. So he said I need to do
something like I'm a young, there's nothing to lose in my
family. It's really the in a better
place. So I could go fight, maybe
volunteer, but they didn't let me know because you know, I
don't know how to shoot and stuff like that.
(08:27):
So what it was things I tried todo is helping community, helping
people while there was kids and things they are afraid and
things or when we started meeting other friends so we can
distribute some water, distribute some, you know,
encouragement to be safe and things because it was so crazy
night. Everyone was afraid and they
(08:48):
were right to afraid because thegroup terrorist group people
fighting this is come from die. They wanted to die.
So, you know, and it was so new.So people don't know what to do
things, but we got the energy and courage to help communities,
you know, give them that for safety, that kind of resilience
(09:10):
and staying. Yes, just this is a quickly or
bring me back to those memories of time.
But yeah, it was terrible night.Yeah, and thank you for sharing
it. Now, as you said before, there's
so much depth that can go into it and we've just spoken about
the Super, super service level. But the reason, the reason why I
wanted to bring that in is because it links back into what
you do at the moment. Because you know, you as you
(09:33):
used the word a few times, the community building community out
there doing stuff with the community, which is which seems
to be the core of your essence. And I guess what was it like for
you when you knew that you were able to come to New Zealand?
Because I'm sure you know, it's up in the year.
You're not sure what's going to happen.
And then you get a letter or a phone call.
It says, hey Cotrian, you've gotthe visa to go to New Zealand.
(09:59):
Well, the process took long time, around 4 years to get to
him doing that for years. So as I said, our country got
into really crazy time and you could, you know, a couple
kilometers away can every night we hear the voice and things and
every night something could be should tell our city.
But you know, likely we survived.
(10:21):
But then this time I was we havea lot of internal displaced
people, which I become one of them later.
But when we a little bit head back to some of the villages
cities. So I start, you know, creating
some sort of workshops for the young people so they can feel
the life while everything was taking from them at that time.
(10:43):
So I brought the young people wejust started and starting
creating space. And I, I again, I graduated from
English institutions there. And then I say I will start
giving them English classes. And then later on, say next
tomorrow we will do computer course.
You know, they were young and wewere just hearing.
(11:04):
And then I otherwise say, K, let's talk about social media,
how we can use it for good. Because I saw the young people,
everyone was on their phone. So that's how I started.
That's how I saw that really it's making a good good for
their well-being when we are giving them that time and that
space. So the families were sending
(11:25):
their kids, they just love it, whatever activities.
And then since then we just grow.
We just self funded and then we later on find there's a more
community and other organizations to jumped in to
support our work. And then we slowly grow it into
more like courses, traps and other educational things.
(11:49):
And then even we did a lot of events for older people, for
women. So we'd start diversifying this
when we see the the people really want to help.
But it's all started that I needto do something.
I need to help something. And those the people were with
me. We trained them well to be
leaders. Then they start doing different
(12:10):
events and etcetera. So they can say to question
that's the love of community started.
That's where I wanted to. Despite what is challenging.
Time is just we need to do keep keep going.
The life is doesn't stop. No matter what situation there
will be, somehow we need to moveon.
(12:30):
And, you know, at at the start, as I had that quote that I spoke
about and I and I didn't know where this conversation was
going to go. But you know, what you've just
shared right now is in the court.
This last part goes rather to undertake what you'd like to
succeed at. And for you, what you did was
the succession wasn't about the money or the fam.
The succession was giving, giving the voices at that of the
(12:51):
youth at that point something todo, you know, big.
And then it diversified, which is really, really beautiful.
And then when you landed here inNew Zealand, what is that like
for you? And I want to think about the
time that you you haven't seen your family for such a long time
and now you see them for the very first time after a long
time. What is that like for you in
person? Oh, that was a really, I think
whole the world for me when I arrived and hacked my mum and I
(13:15):
saw my brothers. So, you know, four years and she
didn't let me every night she was calling me close the years.
But it's so different. I mean, you know, when you came
after four years, you've been away.
Yeah. I think that's what the world
for me, that moment. Yeah, and I'm sure it's
(13:36):
ingrained in you forever, that moment that and you know, as you
said, phone, phone calls are good, but the physical touch,
yeah. It's the mother, It's the
mother. The mother, yeah, it's, it's so
powerful, so powerful. And then now you start your,
your, your journey into New Zealand.
You come in as a, as a, as a refugeist, as new migrant.
(14:00):
What, what do you start noticing?
And because New Zealand is, is, is is a multi, you know, I had
this conversation with our last podcast case, we talked about
bicultural New Zealand, But as they actually, New Zealand is so
multicultural, especially livingin in Wellington, you see a lot
of cultures. What is it like for you as a
young person now, coming from a place that we the world was so
constrained, to a place where it's a bit more liberal?
(14:25):
Yeah, I think so. Since my arrival, I, I felt love
with the country and what I did after I kind of, I think after
five days, I just to readjust tothe timing, like the world I
come from and the New Zealand timing.
And then I took a trip to, to Parliament and when I can see
(14:48):
the difference. So there was a room that they
explained this to different areas and, and about the culture
and I said I loved that. And then I got into myself, into
volunteering and then I had the chances to visit Marai and
understand more about the culture.
So I think this was something have strengthened my bones to
(15:09):
this country because what why I saw New Zealand, it is part of
the West countries, but what I saw, there's a culture here
called Maori and Maori people are indigenous people to this
land. Then it's just straight away
linked me directly to them because I come from the
indigenous people to the Middle East.
And when I saw also the values that they stand, the things they
(15:30):
have in common. So there's a lot in common.
And the same how also then people say for us when it's come
like a person like former refugee migrants, we really it's
not about which side we go. We fit with both of them because
we come to a place, we want a freedom, we want a place to feel
safe and all of that. So when the same things, there's
(15:52):
a culture side of it, which is we want with the family values,
it's all of that. So now people ask, yes, we are.
I can 100% fit with the multiculture and I can 100% fit
with the Paki culture or the western culture as well.
Is this is reality? People will start and I think
no, it's just this is it becausewhat is this being?
(16:13):
Then I have another 100% which is me the place where I come
from or the other tradition things that and the other
beliefs that I have that they bring.
It may not fit both of them, butit is me as a third person
coming. And I think that was the first
when I said that trip have helped me to understand learning
(16:34):
made me the love and I start keep going to many, many hobbies
many. So I think relationship with
community strong start getting stronger and stronger.
So and now as a like you mentioned the different third
culture or multicultural society.
I think it's a beautiful, we have a treaty there that it is
(16:55):
been biased into two people, butI think it's with us all, which
is it's something I think we have a power here.
We have a great welcome here. And I don't know, I'm just from
my experience so far, it's been a great to see the beautiful
people of New Zealand, their kindness and their support and
(17:18):
the welcoming. It is great.
There's also a lot of challenges.
I would not do you know, mission, there's no challenges,
but I'm talking about general the people and the culture.
It's a beautiful. It's all about also exchange.
You know, it's about us. What I'm bringing also on the
table, what I'm also feeling or what I'm also trying to be part
(17:39):
now the people who are now welcome in the home.
You know, there's a responsibilities.
We have over 1 ticket because they did the job, they welcomed
us. They it's time now how I can get
back to home. So I think for me, I feel very
good, very I have a hope for a better future, have a hope for a
(18:00):
great New Zealand while seeing the young people from diverse
backgrounds on thriving What what is cool, cool.
Look, we came from different part of the world.
But right now we are doing this podcast.
Yeah, so imagine so situations may we may hate them, but like
now we have a chance to introduce, we have a chance to
(18:21):
connect. We have a chance to know each
other more and that's actually make the world much more
beautiful place. So I think New Zealand is the
place that is giving us that chance.
And I'm so cool to see a lot of different ethnicities and people
who really want to live, want toleave, want to success, want to
(18:43):
have a beautiful life. They are here.
So that's something we need to be proud of.
We need to celebrate it and respect each other and live in a
good society together. That's, and that's so, so true.
You know, as you said before, wewe come from different worlds,
but we're connected through our passion for story, story
(19:06):
sharing, not a storytelling or story sharing.
And you know, it's awesome to have you on here, but I love the
fact that you spoke about in thethird culture, but also the
third culture linking in with indigenous culture.
And we, I, it's really funny. Cotrian, I was saying this to
somebody that I, I have, I come from Africa.
So I have some African culture me, but I'm Indian city.
(19:26):
So I have Indian, Indian culturethat when you, when you strip it
right back, it doesn't matter which culture you come from.
The roots of all the indigenous cultures are very, very similar.
They may have different names and different faces, but the
essence is essentially the same,which is, which is really
beautiful. And I love how you how you
mentioned that there. And as you started navigating
(19:47):
this love for your new your new home, what was the spark?
We got the idea for a podcast came up.
Yeah. Well, I started with a
challenge. That's where now the other side
of it will. As I mentioned, I came, I speak
the English and I speak four language by the way.
(20:09):
And then I had a good experience.
After graduation work and all ofthat.
So my challenge was here to finding a meaningful work,
meaningful job. And then what I found one year
was enough for me to understand how system work, how everything
is going. Why I say one year where you it
(20:31):
was enough for me because I volunteered in a lot of places
and I have really went to a lot of Huiz meetings and
understanding what is going on, how the talk is there, but
there's nothing and actually beautiful talk, but no actions,
etcetera. So I found there's a strong in
the system and who's telling ourstory.
(20:53):
So that was the channel what I faced.
Because if taking an example, let's say take me as example,
who I can I take all the boxes, they will still keep asking me
this question. You do not have experience and
we ask them what is that New Zealand experience?
Then I asked them the next question, How I can get that
experience when you don't give me the chance?
(21:15):
Yeah, to. How we will get there?
It's around to the country and telling you I'm good on this,
you are not even willing to try.Give me 3 months or something so
I can show you the abilities andskills I have to offer.
So this was the challenge there,and that's how I start thinking
something need to be changed here.
Who's telling my story? Then I followed her and see, I
(21:37):
got involved in two more in the sector.
Then I understood this and some organizations or in general,
media actually, and they tell our story in a different
narrative. That's not really who we are.
That's a part of it maybe, but it's not full of it.
So it's just a part of the story.
Then they forget the story. Like you just asked me before,
(21:59):
what is it? I was a student or we have a
normal life. Then there was one part of it,
which is the terrible situationshappened that led us to come
here, you know, and then there'salso after.
Is that meaning we are like not engineers, not the doctors, not
whatever skills, whatever culture we bring here.
(22:19):
The simple truth is we speak twolanguage at least we speak the
English as well. So I mean, look at the things go
ask any refugee market and they speak two or three language.
I mean, so imagine how them theywill start putting the boxes.
But this is the challenge here, you know, when the opportunity
is not given. So that was the spark for me.
(22:41):
And then I also found it's not just me, I found this other
people from different community,they're also facing same kind of
problem of experience, racism, discrimination, about name,
about the background, stuff likethat.
So I found there was opportunityto say actually there was here
(23:03):
like a radio station, they were keen to put the program for
refugee back on people. And I saw the idea is I think
this is good. I want to do it.
I didn't have any skills or anythings in the right of your
talking even publicly at that time.
So I just had a vision that I know I wanted to do.
(23:24):
You know, I was trying every knowledge to share everything
and advise. But then what I found those a
lot of them in somehow some of them were taking the advice.
Some of them really they not it was just in boxes exercise for
them. So I hated that I wanted to
change. I wanted someone to listen to
them stories and apply it in somehow so make their life
(23:47):
better because it was really challenging to find a meaningful
job. So I took the idea and I started
calling other friends to jump inand we created the team and then
we establish it something cool. We call it a voice of Allah.
And that's how the journey started to change the narrative.
So that was our really first theme and we started so from a
(24:12):
radio program. Now the journey is coming to
more like a proper charity organization, which we do
events, we do programs, activities, podcasts, all of
that stuff. Yeah, that was not long answer.
No, that that was beautiful because you know, as you said,
for this origin story to everything and I love the origin
story was not actually about wanting to start the podcast.
(24:34):
The origin story was the shared narrative that a lot of people
that were coming into, into any new country, I guess they face,
we don't have that experience. And that that was the same with
me. I, I had finished off my degree.
I had, I had to computer science.
I was, had worked a bit. And when I moved to New Zealand,
they said to me, we can't, there's no jobs for you because
you don't have New Zealand experience.
And I was like, oh, this is crazy.
(24:55):
What does a computer scientist have?
It doesn't actually matter whereyou work in the world that you
adopt the bodies, the body, the computer, you know, whatever it
is. So I really love the fact that
was your your spark. And the spark was not just about
you, but about the sheer narrative and also taking up
opportunity, you know, you couldhave.
So it used to be like, oh, I don't speak English.
I've never done radio. It's English.
All those things there and just pass it by.
(25:18):
But it wasn't about you. It was the credit goal.
And what I've been planning to ask you is the name.
How and why did you choose the name Voice of Aloha?
Yeah, so that was funny. We, when I was dreaming about
this, you know, I said I can't because again, I, I feel that
our voice was not heard and was silenced in a way, because
(25:41):
again, I tried in too many ways.I've been part of many boards,
many volunteers, many organizations to try, you know,
raise our voice, which I think all this experience, I'm
grateful for them. But it gave me the things to see
what is the difference when you the people who leave?
I mean, they know the issues to take the lead that make a big
(26:05):
difference. Yeah.
So that was something all of us,you know, there was the people
and that's happened when later on I got another job with
another organization when I theysaw me start becoming manager
here. There's some people start like
bullying me in a way. They say, oh, you just arrived
to the country like at least in a year how you are now you're
(26:26):
getting manage their positions and stuff like that.
So it's kind of like, wait, what, what, what do you mean?
Like should I spend all my 10 years, 20 years, then I deserve
to be such a thing? So what?
So that was also, you know, it'scome by learning by situation.
When you start dealing with people organizations that will
show you the true colour and things then also through vision.
(26:48):
So that will start to be shocking for me say wait, this
organization, they talk about mypeople community.
Then when someone from those community trying to get into
leadership position something, they will want a barrier for
you, they want to put you down and all of that stuff.
So I didn't let that happen in away, they say if a thesis be
like a gatekeepers, I want to open the gate and I want to do
(27:11):
that by sharing with everyone toshare the story, then then I
think that was the free tool I can use, you know, because I
also understood the power of social media, the power of being
online nowadays. So we use it for good.
I understand there's a lot of things, but they say what about
we just that the people come andshare and the name of voice of
(27:31):
Arroha because of the other six young people who've been joined
me, which we together we put. I remember there was another
name in the table We were discussing it called House of
Arroha or Voice of Arroha. Then we ended up to choose the
voice of Arroha and we wanted torelate it to things first that
we have a voice on different issues topics.
(27:53):
We also we started we didn't want people to think we are
refugee. We only talk about refugee
topics. No, we can talk about
environment, we can talk about economy, we can talk about
anything can matter to New Zealand because now we are part
of this society. We want to normalize that we are
people here, we are living here,we want to contribute back.
We have a different perspective,different ideas may work, make
(28:15):
someone listen to different ideas how to do things.
So that's the voice started to give marginalized community a
voice. And then I know how we wanted
really to connected to the land,to the place that we are
thankful that drove like the love, the passion we are
bringing each one of us in a different colour.
We wanted to connect it to the land man of funeral, which is
(28:36):
the Arava and the the the name as well.
Later on was blessed by some of our Maori friends chief who
blessed the name and we got yeah, voice of ah.
So it become a podcast. Been knowing as a radio and
podcast as they're now into moreactivities as you see in
(28:57):
LinkedIn, sometimes we share thedifferent activities.
Yeah, that's the origin of the name.
I love, I love the origin again,because the origin is not just
the name that you pick out of me.
And I appreciate it. When you when you came on the
podcast, you acknowledged the name of boss of knowledge and it
was the same thing we went through.
Like the name has got to have a story behind.
It's not just a name that you pick out.
(29:18):
And you know, I love the time you speak about, you know, when
people speak about refugees or, or migrants, you only want to
talk about their life situation.But actually, hey, they have
skill sets, they're smart, you know, they're, they come with
their knowledge and their skills.
So let's not just talk about onepart of their identity.
We're all available for a whole canvas of identities.
(29:39):
So it's beautiful. And I love the fact that, you
know, even if you think about, if you, when I look at it, I go,
hey, we come in and we, what is universal to every single person
in the world is love. It's universal across the board.
You know, whatever, it doesn't matter what it looks like, but
we all know the feeling of love.So, you know, it's, it's a
beautiful, beautiful story there.
And, and what has it been like for, you know, as you reflect
(30:01):
back where you were not six years on, and you think back
what you started, where it is and how it's grown and the
number of lives that that have been impacted.
And I talk about impact because I follow your content.
I follow the people you bring on.
And it's a whole diverse range of people and whole diverse
range of, of topics. And do you ever just sit back
and celebrate that? Wow, this is really cool.
(30:25):
Or have you? Good question, which is I don't
know how to answer that. The reason I say this because I
think we really matter about every person, every stories like
every day. And especially, yeah, when it's
come to end of the year, we do reflect on the year and things.
But now in the six years they'vebeen just a great authentic way
(30:49):
to grow it just grow by itself and just got the support of
community by itself. And I think we, we gave a model
that when you put refugee back on people on the leading the
matter and things they will do 10X and the 10X come because we
put our heart and things and everything into it, because it's
(31:11):
a matter of community, matter ofchanging that person, that
connection we created that person, that story, that
highlight it. This all matter.
No way, no matter how it will matter.
Somehow we, you know, when we dothis, when we share, maybe there
will be 100 people viewer, 10 people maybe get into the end of
the podcast. There's one person we look at
(31:32):
that was the person who take action.
And that's the win for us. And I think creating a lot of
this story, this backgrounds different people, it also give
the picture for the wider society.
There is another narrative to look at.
There's a different story. There's this people who are
doctors, who are doing this, whoare students, who are actually,
(31:54):
you know, the challenge stories as well as coming from them.
So this is what we are trying toput those kind of positive
contents and stories there so people can hear from the people
directly. There's no filter here, just
bring them here. But to have a cordial
conversation. And the other message we want
really that a lot of people, especially in the team, we don't
(32:18):
agree with everything. Yeah, but we come together, we
work and we talk about topics and things.
We share our perspectives and that's it.
So there's a message, we say there's a possibility and no
matter what, how much we disagree.
But then with at least we need to talk, at least we need to sit
and have a conversations. There'll be 10 points that we
(32:39):
may not take. Let's say take a 10 points, nine
of them we may not agree, but there'll be one of them.
We can at least some sort of we agree, you know.
So if we agree on one point and 9:00 left, they think that will
make a way pathway for talking about the other one, the other
one so they can bring us closer bitter so we can leave as a
(32:59):
humans in a society that celebrate everyone, their
colour, their things, whatever. You know, it's just like, you
know, we need to have a space that understanding each other.
We can't cancel each other. We can ignore someone from the
table. Well, just understand what is
exactly really that's a you top priorities.
(33:20):
What's my true priority? What's the understanding?
And you know, we've been doing this and we understand the food
is the main character. Bring everyone together.
And so you see there will be wise.
They will find it and the joy ofbuilding community is so great.
So if you ask me about you to question reflection, I think I
don't know if I will do justice for that because we celebrate
(33:42):
everyday. Every podcast, every moment is a
celebration for us, especially now we turn at the table after
six years, the original 7 we allof them, they've been in great
now successful in their jobs andthings.
That was the mission, but it's become bigger and now the other
people who is coming is buildingthe legacy, how we are passing
(34:04):
back the knowledge to other young people, getting the
experience, meeting with the ministers, meeting with
community leaders, all of that stuff.
I think this is what is creating.
We see the joy and happiness with them.
So that's what make us keep going.
That would make us, you know, great.
That's a lot. And I I love this job doing.
(34:25):
I've been like a privilege and humble to be leading such
organization. But you know what make it these
things all great. And what things is the people,
the people, the amazing people around me.
This is the people who make these things achievable and
great. Yeah, he turned out.
He turned out, he turned out right.
It's the people, the people, thepeople, right.
(34:47):
And I love that answer because my question was, do you take
time to celebrate? And you answered by going.
We celebrate every day. And why I ask that question is
because society and I, I'm also in that society, we, we look for
a reason to celebrate. And actually, you can celebrate
every single day, Every podcast,every conversation is a
celebration. Every disagreement is a
(35:08):
celebration because when people disagree, it means that people
are allowed to be the authentic self.
You know, imagine everyone disagrees just because they're
afraid to be the authentic self.So, you know, it's really,
really beautiful how you have, how you have shared that
narrative because again, it's, it's bigger than you.
And why I've, why I've enjoyed watching Voice of Ardha as well,
is, as you say, first legacy building.
(35:30):
You step back and you let the new generation come through and
they own it and they make it their own.
Although the essence is the same, the flavour is different.
Yeah, yeah. And you know, it's like that
because we've been doesn't say Ithink I like it.
It's just we are created for different times, you know?
So yeah, we have certain issues,certain world that and it's also
(35:53):
up to us how we want to leave this world, how kind of legacy
we want to build and go. And then the other peoples
coming after us, each they have their own time, their own issue,
their own things to talk about. As long as we don't make them
enough of their issues to carry,you know, like there's many
things, but there's the thing. So I think it's a good, we need
(36:13):
to have that thinking of, OK, I've been doing doing this and
this, but I need to mentor someone.
I need to bring some other people as well with me and et
cetera. Especially if you want the
legacy life, please. If we need something temporary
to just go ahead and that's a different story.
Yeah, this is so true, Codrin. We've been focusing on you as an
(36:36):
awesome human being, what you doas a community.
But I'd love to know what you dofor yourself.
And the reason I ask you about that is because sometimes we do
a lot of giving and the people that give a lot, sometimes you
get to look after themselves. And I read some way that you
wrote about, you know, you're going to look after yourself.
I, I read a quote online from you somewhere saying if you
can't look after yourself, you can't look after the community.
(36:57):
So how do you look after yourself?
Well, I may disagree with that one as well.
I don't know. Somehow that's a.
Great way. Disagree a way?
Yeah. Yeah, because I think for or
maybe interpret a different way that for me community become my
friend and become my place to gobecome my social life.
(37:20):
Yeah. And I'm enjoying it.
It's become like something that's how I spend my time.
I I learned a lot of skills, youknow, and tell me I was not a
graph of what do they call it, the graphic designer.
Now I'm a great designer, a lot of great posters and stuff like
that. So I can I learned a lot.
I learned a lot through the workmeeting a lot of people learned
(37:43):
about a lot of culture. So for me, it's like another
PhD. I'm just doing it in a life like
leaving, meeting people, understanding that culturally a
place that food, their stories. So I mean, what else was it just
a great job? It was a great place that I want
to be there. So this is how I look on myself.
So a lot of time it's come on the weekends they'll be
(38:04):
community. I go to support.
So as as much I do to more things, then we go a lot of
support to our friends and communities to be there to
celebrate their events. These things I don't consider as
a part of job as it just for me as a person in society who love
to see who love to learn more. So for me, how I look at myself,
(38:27):
I learn more and how I do that by just celebrating different
communities, going to different events.
That's the biggest part of my life.
You will, I think it will be weird.
There's a one week I'm not attending something or not doing
something, enjoying or meeting, talking someone new, etcetera.
That's what I, I I see as a goodwell-being for me.
(38:49):
Then the other part it's of course, I have a family, mom and
and niece, which is my very close friend, my niece, where I
have a lot of time to give her when they bring her her.
So that's where we, you know, that's my joy, my happiness when
I see my family. Well, yeah, I I enjoy the the
life of community and the life of my personal life, but that's
(39:12):
how I look after myself. So for me, a lot of people think
it's like what I don't consider work.
So despite, you know what we do,we are a child organization.
Like you have a certain hours. But I put more than that because
it's good for my well-being. I just love to see success of
other people. When I see my friend, when I see
(39:33):
the other people's achieving it or doing something great, that's
what I love to see. That's what I'm happy to
celebrate and I feel so good andI feel happy.
And that's how I look at myself because I know, let's say, you
know, the simple acts like when you become reference to someone,
when you just connect someone tosomeone, this all make a
difference and it's just great. You're making someone's day.
(39:53):
And that's my well-being. So that's why how I look myself
at that, some people consider that's too much.
What that's not again, it's not work.
It's more like a being. Active citizen in a community
because I have a knowledge whichis, you know, that's how I say
is love the name of your podcast.
I need to share it. Yeah, and want to share it.
(40:16):
If we share it, you may tell people again that example if
they listen, one of them take action.
That's it. Enough.
And and you know what, I what I asked that was a trick question.
And I asked that question because I see myself and you
because I like to give and people ask me the question and
I'm like, yeah, I like to give And seeing how people succeed
is, is my is my coupleer. And I can see that from me
(40:38):
straight away because there are traditional ways of looking
well-being when you separate work and life and da, da, da.
But when you're doing something that you enjoy, you don't see it
as as work. You just you see it as, as
you're part of your being. You don't separate it out.
And you know, I love how you said, you know, you every
weekend you're out learning. And I love how you said you're
doing a living PhD. You know, this is a living PhD
(41:00):
and I'll be with that. And the only way to do a PhD is
by getting out there by doing things instead of researching
journals. You're out there living lives,
which is amazing. So thank you for sharing that
there because I want people who are listening to think about,
well-being very, very differently.
If you find the thing that you really enjoy, enjoy doing in
life, that can fill your cup every single day, every single
day, and that's a challenge, Go and find.
(41:21):
Go and find that thing because you all have that thing.
Yeah, yeah. You know, because I don't know
if people talk about risk, what is what is exactly risk?
What do you mean risk? Like, you know, we have to
really, when you don't do something, you are definitely
doing something else. If people are not working,
they're either exercising, whatever they do.
(41:43):
If that's the why, that's great.If you enjoy it.
You know, for me, again, for me,it's just part of learning.
That's AI enjoy because I enjoy learning.
So when I'm attending something,this is not a part of work, but
it's part I'm learning, Then I also see the opportunity to tell
those stories or to invite someone or to connect with
someone. So that's how I think part of my
(42:06):
well-being. But yeah, it's, it's a great how
people define and how people also see themselves, which is
also, you know, everyone is different.
That's the beauty of this world.They don't have the way how to
look after themselves. Yeah, and I like that when you
have your wife, your wife becomes younger well-being
because your wife is what keeps you going and keeps you growing.
(42:26):
And and you know, a lot of us don't take time to think about
what our wife is, you know, and some of us have when we when we
were younger, some of us when wewere older, when our life's
changed a bit. But again, it'll be amazing if
people just spend some time thinking on what their wife is.
And you don't have to have the answer.
There's no correct answer. It's just an answer.
But Ryan, I know you have your time is gathering up.
(42:49):
I'm just like this. I'm sure we can deep dive for
hours and hours and hours. So we might have to get you back
onto onto the podcast and deep dive into your story, but we're
not going to let you go just yet.
Our podcast, as you know, is called Basques of Knowledge.
And you've shared a lot of knowledge today.
But we'd love for you to end this podcast by sharing one
piece of knowledge to put into our kids here for myself, our
(43:10):
listeners, A piece of knowledge that has helped you in your
world, whichever world you're looking at.
Beautiful. I think I will say be a good
human, leave a good legacy or leave a good or build a good
ancestor. I think when you think about
(43:32):
this, build a good assistant. Whatever you do now, you next
generation kids, they will be proud of your name and we can do
that. So how to do that?
Being a good citizen, being a good human, that's enough.
You don't need to build a buildings or doing a million of
things to see that that's a goodancestor.
(43:53):
Being a good human, being a goodancestor, it's a way to go that
will be simple, beautiful life that we are living for the next
generation. I love that.
I love that. Be a good.
Ancestor, how beautiful. And I say so simple.
Be a good human, be a good citizen.
So simple, so effective and so powerful.
(44:15):
Cadrian, any last words before we love and leave you to feel a
way to do some other amazing things that you're doing?
Yeah, no, I really appreciate you and thank you so much for
inviting me to this lovely podcast.
And yeah, looking forward to do more for when you're in the
Hidden Wellington. We now host you.
So now your host us. We need to invite you as well to
(44:37):
come so you can have more conversations and time to learn
about each other. And also, you know, this is the
online world with this. This is the tools.
Let's listen to such a podcast more, such as stories more, and
that can hopefully benefit and improve someone's life there.
Yeah. Thank you so much.
Really appreciate the time. It was a great conversation with
(44:59):
you. Now always thank you so much and
it will be a privilege in order to be on on the other end of via
post Aloha for listeners. As you said, as you had at the
start, I was very blessed and privileged to have Cadreon on
our podcast. And you can see why because
there's a depth of richness herethat is not just about a title,
but a depth of richness from experience and from Autohar that
comes from the heart, but also from community building.
(45:21):
So if you have not seen any of his work, please follow him on
LinkedIn. Look for voices of Autohar on
the socials. They do some really amazing work
and they have a gala dinner coming up in a few weeks time.
Go on there donates, you know, make change lives just by as
Codrion said, be a good human and that can just be by doing
something simple. So till next time, don't forget
(45:41):
to put something to your boss's knowledge.
Don't forget to smile. And as Codrion said today, don't
forget to be a good ancestor. Till next time talk it there.
Bye everybody, Peace. Thank you for listening to
Bastards of Knowledge. Yeah, we hope that you found
(46:02):
something useful to put into your bastard knowledge.
And as we said before, remember to put something little into
your baskets of knowledge every week.
And as always, feel free to like, comment and share this
podcast. Thanks, everybody.
Bye.
Hey everybody, it's Prajesh herein Tana here.
Welcome to our podcast, Baskets of Knowledge chats with a
difference. In our podcast, we invite guests
from around the country and around the world to talk about
how they got to where they at the moment.
It's about a journey, it's aboutan experience, it's about their
life. Kira Kot everybody, welcome to
(00:27):
another episode of baskets of knowledge.
And hopefully you're all doing fantastically awesome.
And if you're not doing awesome,that's OK as well because you
just got to do what you can do. Tammy can't join us today
because there's a way of doing some of the cool things as
always, as a busy, busy man. But as as always, we, I like to
share what I've been learning over the last between the last
episodes. And there was a quote I came
(00:47):
across the other day when I was doing some reading and I'm going
to read the quote because there was a butcher it.
And the quote basically goes, itis not important to be
successful at what you undertake, but rather to
undertake what you'd like to be successful at.
And that was really, really powerful for me because a lot of
us chase things. We chase things and we we chase
(01:08):
them for a reason or no reason that we don't know, but we don't
think about why we're doing whatwe want to do.
You know, you, you go to university because you, you need
to go to university, find a job because you meant to be finding
a job. But if you flip the script and
go actually, what am I actually wanting to do?
What I really want to do and that is going to help you be
successful at that day. And I think it's really, really
beautiful because I think our guest today, someone that might
(01:31):
actually acknowledge what that'sbeen for that for them as the
navigate this pretty amazing journey.
But as always, it's not about me.
It's about our our gifts. And today we are very privileged
and very lucky and very honouredto have on our podcast someone
that, as I shared with them before that, I've been watching
from the the limelight, from theoutside, as they've navigated
(01:51):
some really amazing things that have shifted and changed things
for young people and for refugeeand for migrant communities here
in in New Zealand. And it's a real pleasure and a
blessing to have them spend sometime today with us.
Kyoto. And welcome to Bosses of
Knowledge Korean. Kyora, Kyora, thank you so much
for having me. No, it's all, it's all.
(02:12):
It's our pleasure and our blessing.
Cadre and people who know nothing about who you are, would
you like to explain who you are today on the 9th of October
2025? Yeah, absolutely.
And so again, thank you for having me, having this corduroy
child. And what a name, what a
beautiful name for the podcast, a basket of knowledge is.
I really like that. It's cool.
(02:33):
So to question who I am, my nameis Cadre Nishai and I came from
a place called Assyria or Mesopotamia.
Nowadays we call it Iraq. So that's a little bit of the
background on Assyrians as ethnicity.
So I come here to to what, 2018 to reunite with my family here.
(02:57):
And yeah, so this is a little bit of the background and who
come. And since then the journey
started that I'm a founder and now CEO of Voice of Arroha.
And yeah, a lot of, so I in, in some way, I call myself a
community person. So you will see me in in the
things that trying to improve the life of our communities, to
(03:21):
improve their living, make things easy for them while they
navigate life in a new place in a new country such as New
Zealand. Amazing, amazing.
I love it. I love, I love it because you're
very humble in what you have said right now.
And we're going to dig into all that as we, as we go into the
time we have with you today. So we speak about where you are
today. But if we, if we go back and
(03:42):
talk about your life and say 10 years ago, what was your life
like 10 years ago? Because what I love about you is
you, you have gone and spoken about your traditional, the name
of where you traditionally come from, not what it's called right
now. And I love that because, you
know, we all come from these worlds and then the Western
world or somebody has credited maps and has changed the names.
(04:05):
So I love how you hark back right to the the traditional
name of where you come from. But ten years ago, who was
Codrian? Well, it was terrible time.
Yeah. OK, OK.
Wait 10 years ago, what what year is that?
Is that 2000? 20/15/20. 1516 OK, so it was the
time when really my country was bad influenced by invasion of
(04:27):
ISIS, the terrorist group who came which is made all that mess
in Middle East. And you may saw the news in time
until now there's this groups around in some parts which have
caused a lot of displacements and that was the reasons that
part of my journey why we run away from the country there.
(04:50):
But before that, if I talk aboutthat background, I was a
student. I love really education and
study. I was one of the top students in
my universities that time and studied political science and
international relation. I love it on paper, but not on
the reality, especially that part of the world.
So and then, yeah, since then we've been in through this,
(05:15):
escaping the place and getting to come here.
But yeah, really, 10 years ago, I was just a student who trying
to survive that environment. But I accomplished it well and
somehow we made it happen. And also glad that we reunited
later on after 2-3 years in 2018to come here.
(05:38):
So now I call Otto Rahung. Beautiful and I and I love that
because you know, we see where you are today, but a lot of us,
as we said, we all have a story and you know, we just see the
story of the media or the news and you know, we don't know what
it's like for people that live in those in those communities.
I myself come from Zimbabwe and what you see in the news versus
(05:59):
what realities are two very different things.
So I love how you spoke about itwas it was a terrible time and
for you and your father living and then that time, what was the
moment when you realized that actually we need to get out of
here? We Was there a significant
moment or actually you just saw this, the way the world was
changing dramatically that it wasn't safe for you?
(06:19):
Yes, it was that time, especially I was talking about
2014, It was only me in the house there and it was really
like, you know how those Hollywood movies and how those
actions it is, we leave it in reality.
Unfortunately, it was terrible time.
Many people have lost their life.
(06:40):
Many people have been taken by this group.
But lucky enough, we were livingin a city.
We moved in the border and then somehow they stopped in a
certain border and say they pushit by the local forces.
And later on the international forces came in as well to help
(07:01):
the local as well. So I think it was a nightmare.
If I told the story, oh, it willtake us a lot of hours to tell
you what happened, but I think Ihad the resilience during this
time. Something that people may not
know. When these things happen, we
came up from things that you will sit on yourself.
We need to take actions to be responsible.
(07:22):
Instead of running away. I actually need to do something.
So when we done that time, therewas a lot of families and like
they said from other villages and cities, they run away to our
city. So I open it, our home, we had a
big home there, like 2 floors and the country.
So we fit 30 people just there to stay safe while, you know,
(07:44):
it'd become chaos. Imagine my city, I think it was
300, four, 100,000 as a population.
So you get a million people stayed away coming from all
this. So where they get, you know, so
we're talking about all that fear and things.
But that moment it was just for me, it was more like I am young
(08:04):
and my family was really, that time just got out to New
Zealand. So he said I need to do
something like I'm a young, there's nothing to lose in my
family. It's really the in a better
place. So I could go fight, maybe
volunteer, but they didn't let me know because you know, I
don't know how to shoot and stuff like that.
(08:27):
So what it was things I tried todo is helping community, helping
people while there was kids and things they are afraid and
things or when we started meeting other friends so we can
distribute some water, distribute some, you know,
encouragement to be safe and things because it was so crazy
night. Everyone was afraid and they
(08:48):
were right to afraid because thegroup terrorist group people
fighting this is come from die. They wanted to die.
So, you know, and it was so new.So people don't know what to do
things, but we got the energy and courage to help communities,
you know, give them that for safety, that kind of resilience
(09:10):
and staying. Yes, just this is a quickly or
bring me back to those memories of time.
But yeah, it was terrible night.Yeah, and thank you for sharing
it. Now, as you said before, there's
so much depth that can go into it and we've just spoken about
the Super, super service level. But the reason, the reason why I
wanted to bring that in is because it links back into what
you do at the moment. Because you know, you as you
(09:33):
used the word a few times, the community building community out
there doing stuff with the community, which is which seems
to be the core of your essence. And I guess what was it like for
you when you knew that you were able to come to New Zealand?
Because I'm sure you know, it's up in the year.
You're not sure what's going to happen.
And then you get a letter or a phone call.
It says, hey Cotrian, you've gotthe visa to go to New Zealand.
(09:59):
Well, the process took long time, around 4 years to get to
him doing that for years. So as I said, our country got
into really crazy time and you could, you know, a couple
kilometers away can every night we hear the voice and things and
every night something could be should tell our city.
But you know, likely we survived.
(10:21):
But then this time I was we havea lot of internal displaced
people, which I become one of them later.
But when we a little bit head back to some of the villages
cities. So I start, you know, creating
some sort of workshops for the young people so they can feel
the life while everything was taking from them at that time.
(10:43):
So I brought the young people wejust started and starting
creating space. And I, I again, I graduated from
English institutions there. And then I say I will start
giving them English classes. And then later on, say next
tomorrow we will do computer course.
You know, they were young and wewere just hearing.
(11:04):
And then I otherwise say, K, let's talk about social media,
how we can use it for good. Because I saw the young people,
everyone was on their phone. So that's how I started.
That's how I saw that really it's making a good good for
their well-being when we are giving them that time and that
space. So the families were sending
(11:25):
their kids, they just love it, whatever activities.
And then since then we just grow.
We just self funded and then we later on find there's a more
community and other organizations to jumped in to
support our work. And then we slowly grow it into
more like courses, traps and other educational things.
(11:49):
And then even we did a lot of events for older people, for
women. So we'd start diversifying this
when we see the the people really want to help.
But it's all started that I needto do something.
I need to help something. And those the people were with
me. We trained them well to be
leaders. Then they start doing different
(12:10):
events and etcetera. So they can say to question
that's the love of community started.
That's where I wanted to. Despite what is challenging.
Time is just we need to do keep keep going.
The life is doesn't stop. No matter what situation there
will be, somehow we need to moveon.
(12:30):
And, you know, at at the start, as I had that quote that I spoke
about and I and I didn't know where this conversation was
going to go. But you know, what you've just
shared right now is in the court.
This last part goes rather to undertake what you'd like to
succeed at. And for you, what you did was
the succession wasn't about the money or the fam.
The succession was giving, giving the voices at that of the
(12:51):
youth at that point something todo, you know, big.
And then it diversified, which is really, really beautiful.
And then when you landed here inNew Zealand, what is that like
for you? And I want to think about the
time that you you haven't seen your family for such a long time
and now you see them for the very first time after a long
time. What is that like for you in
person? Oh, that was a really, I think
whole the world for me when I arrived and hacked my mum and I
(13:15):
saw my brothers. So, you know, four years and she
didn't let me every night she was calling me close the years.
But it's so different. I mean, you know, when you came
after four years, you've been away.
Yeah. I think that's what the world
for me, that moment. Yeah, and I'm sure it's
(13:36):
ingrained in you forever, that moment that and you know, as you
said, phone, phone calls are good, but the physical touch,
yeah. It's the mother, It's the
mother. The mother, yeah, it's, it's so
powerful, so powerful. And then now you start your,
your, your journey into New Zealand.
You come in as a, as a, as a refugeist, as new migrant.
(14:00):
What, what do you start noticing?
And because New Zealand is, is, is is a multi, you know, I had
this conversation with our last podcast case, we talked about
bicultural New Zealand, But as they actually, New Zealand is so
multicultural, especially livingin in Wellington, you see a lot
of cultures. What is it like for you as a
young person now, coming from a place that we the world was so
constrained, to a place where it's a bit more liberal?
(14:25):
Yeah, I think so. Since my arrival, I, I felt love
with the country and what I did after I kind of, I think after
five days, I just to readjust tothe timing, like the world I
come from and the New Zealand timing.
And then I took a trip to, to Parliament and when I can see
(14:48):
the difference. So there was a room that they
explained this to different areas and, and about the culture
and I said I loved that. And then I got into myself, into
volunteering and then I had the chances to visit Marai and
understand more about the culture.
So I think this was something have strengthened my bones to
(15:09):
this country because what why I saw New Zealand, it is part of
the West countries, but what I saw, there's a culture here
called Maori and Maori people are indigenous people to this
land. Then it's just straight away
linked me directly to them because I come from the
indigenous people to the Middle East.
And when I saw also the values that they stand, the things they
(15:30):
have in common. So there's a lot in common.
And the same how also then people say for us when it's come
like a person like former refugee migrants, we really it's
not about which side we go. We fit with both of them because
we come to a place, we want a freedom, we want a place to feel
safe and all of that. So when the same things, there's
(15:52):
a culture side of it, which is we want with the family values,
it's all of that. So now people ask, yes, we are.
I can 100% fit with the multiculture and I can 100% fit
with the Paki culture or the western culture as well.
Is this is reality? People will start and I think
no, it's just this is it becausewhat is this being?
(16:13):
Then I have another 100% which is me the place where I come
from or the other tradition things that and the other
beliefs that I have that they bring.
It may not fit both of them, butit is me as a third person
coming. And I think that was the first
when I said that trip have helped me to understand learning
(16:34):
made me the love and I start keep going to many, many hobbies
many. So I think relationship with
community strong start getting stronger and stronger.
So and now as a like you mentioned the different third
culture or multicultural society.
I think it's a beautiful, we have a treaty there that it is
(16:55):
been biased into two people, butI think it's with us all, which
is it's something I think we have a power here.
We have a great welcome here. And I don't know, I'm just from
my experience so far, it's been a great to see the beautiful
people of New Zealand, their kindness and their support and
(17:18):
the welcoming. It is great.
There's also a lot of challenges.
I would not do you know, mission, there's no challenges,
but I'm talking about general the people and the culture.
It's a beautiful. It's all about also exchange.
You know, it's about us. What I'm bringing also on the
table, what I'm also feeling or what I'm also trying to be part
(17:39):
now the people who are now welcome in the home.
You know, there's a responsibilities.
We have over 1 ticket because they did the job, they welcomed
us. They it's time now how I can get
back to home. So I think for me, I feel very
good, very I have a hope for a better future, have a hope for a
(18:00):
great New Zealand while seeing the young people from diverse
backgrounds on thriving What what is cool, cool.
Look, we came from different part of the world.
But right now we are doing this podcast.
Yeah, so imagine so situations may we may hate them, but like
now we have a chance to introduce, we have a chance to
(18:21):
connect. We have a chance to know each
other more and that's actually make the world much more
beautiful place. So I think New Zealand is the
place that is giving us that chance.
And I'm so cool to see a lot of different ethnicities and people
who really want to live, want toleave, want to success, want to
(18:43):
have a beautiful life. They are here.
So that's something we need to be proud of.
We need to celebrate it and respect each other and live in a
good society together. That's, and that's so, so true.
You know, as you said before, wewe come from different worlds,
but we're connected through our passion for story, story
(19:06):
sharing, not a storytelling or story sharing.
And you know, it's awesome to have you on here, but I love the
fact that you spoke about in thethird culture, but also the
third culture linking in with indigenous culture.
And we, I, it's really funny. Cotrian, I was saying this to
somebody that I, I have, I come from Africa.
So I have some African culture me, but I'm Indian city.
(19:26):
So I have Indian, Indian culturethat when you, when you strip it
right back, it doesn't matter which culture you come from.
The roots of all the indigenous cultures are very, very similar.
They may have different names and different faces, but the
essence is essentially the same,which is, which is really
beautiful. And I love how you how you
mentioned that there. And as you started navigating
(19:47):
this love for your new your new home, what was the spark?
We got the idea for a podcast came up.
Yeah. Well, I started with a
challenge. That's where now the other side
of it will. As I mentioned, I came, I speak
the English and I speak four language by the way.
(20:09):
And then I had a good experience.
After graduation work and all ofthat.
So my challenge was here to finding a meaningful work,
meaningful job. And then what I found one year
was enough for me to understand how system work, how everything
is going. Why I say one year where you it
(20:31):
was enough for me because I volunteered in a lot of places
and I have really went to a lot of Huiz meetings and
understanding what is going on, how the talk is there, but
there's nothing and actually beautiful talk, but no actions,
etcetera. So I found there's a strong in
the system and who's telling ourstory.
(20:53):
So that was the channel what I faced.
Because if taking an example, let's say take me as example,
who I can I take all the boxes, they will still keep asking me
this question. You do not have experience and
we ask them what is that New Zealand experience?
Then I asked them the next question, How I can get that
experience when you don't give me the chance?
(21:15):
Yeah, to. How we will get there?
It's around to the country and telling you I'm good on this,
you are not even willing to try.Give me 3 months or something so
I can show you the abilities andskills I have to offer.
So this was the challenge there,and that's how I start thinking
something need to be changed here.
Who's telling my story? Then I followed her and see, I
(21:37):
got involved in two more in the sector.
Then I understood this and some organizations or in general,
media actually, and they tell our story in a different
narrative. That's not really who we are.
That's a part of it maybe, but it's not full of it.
So it's just a part of the story.
Then they forget the story. Like you just asked me before,
(21:59):
what is it? I was a student or we have a
normal life. Then there was one part of it,
which is the terrible situationshappened that led us to come
here, you know, and then there'salso after.
Is that meaning we are like not engineers, not the doctors, not
whatever skills, whatever culture we bring here.
(22:19):
The simple truth is we speak twolanguage at least we speak the
English as well. So I mean, look at the things go
ask any refugee market and they speak two or three language.
I mean, so imagine how them theywill start putting the boxes.
But this is the challenge here, you know, when the opportunity
is not given. So that was the spark for me.
(22:41):
And then I also found it's not just me, I found this other
people from different community,they're also facing same kind of
problem of experience, racism, discrimination, about name,
about the background, stuff likethat.
So I found there was opportunityto say actually there was here
(23:03):
like a radio station, they were keen to put the program for
refugee back on people. And I saw the idea is I think
this is good. I want to do it.
I didn't have any skills or anythings in the right of your
talking even publicly at that time.
So I just had a vision that I know I wanted to do.
(23:24):
You know, I was trying every knowledge to share everything
and advise. But then what I found those a
lot of them in somehow some of them were taking the advice.
Some of them really they not it was just in boxes exercise for
them. So I hated that I wanted to
change. I wanted someone to listen to
them stories and apply it in somehow so make their life
(23:47):
better because it was really challenging to find a meaningful
job. So I took the idea and I started
calling other friends to jump inand we created the team and then
we establish it something cool. We call it a voice of Allah.
And that's how the journey started to change the narrative.
So that was our really first theme and we started so from a
(24:12):
radio program. Now the journey is coming to
more like a proper charity organization, which we do
events, we do programs, activities, podcasts, all of
that stuff. Yeah, that was not long answer.
No, that that was beautiful because you know, as you said,
for this origin story to everything and I love the origin
story was not actually about wanting to start the podcast.
(24:34):
The origin story was the shared narrative that a lot of people
that were coming into, into any new country, I guess they face,
we don't have that experience. And that that was the same with
me. I, I had finished off my degree.
I had, I had to computer science.
I was, had worked a bit. And when I moved to New Zealand,
they said to me, we can't, there's no jobs for you because
you don't have New Zealand experience.
And I was like, oh, this is crazy.
(24:55):
What does a computer scientist have?
It doesn't actually matter whereyou work in the world that you
adopt the bodies, the body, the computer, you know, whatever it
is. So I really love the fact that
was your your spark. And the spark was not just about
you, but about the sheer narrative and also taking up
opportunity, you know, you couldhave.
So it used to be like, oh, I don't speak English.
I've never done radio. It's English.
All those things there and just pass it by.
(25:18):
But it wasn't about you. It was the credit goal.
And what I've been planning to ask you is the name.
How and why did you choose the name Voice of Aloha?
Yeah, so that was funny. We, when I was dreaming about
this, you know, I said I can't because again, I, I feel that
our voice was not heard and was silenced in a way, because
(25:41):
again, I tried in too many ways.I've been part of many boards,
many volunteers, many organizations to try, you know,
raise our voice, which I think all this experience, I'm
grateful for them. But it gave me the things to see
what is the difference when you the people who leave?
I mean, they know the issues to take the lead that make a big
(26:05):
difference. Yeah.
So that was something all of us,you know, there was the people
and that's happened when later on I got another job with
another organization when I theysaw me start becoming manager
here. There's some people start like
bullying me in a way. They say, oh, you just arrived
to the country like at least in a year how you are now you're
(26:26):
getting manage their positions and stuff like that.
So it's kind of like, wait, what, what, what do you mean?
Like should I spend all my 10 years, 20 years, then I deserve
to be such a thing? So what?
So that was also, you know, it'scome by learning by situation.
When you start dealing with people organizations that will
show you the true colour and things then also through vision.
(26:48):
So that will start to be shocking for me say wait, this
organization, they talk about mypeople community.
Then when someone from those community trying to get into
leadership position something, they will want a barrier for
you, they want to put you down and all of that stuff.
So I didn't let that happen in away, they say if a thesis be
like a gatekeepers, I want to open the gate and I want to do
(27:11):
that by sharing with everyone toshare the story, then then I
think that was the free tool I can use, you know, because I
also understood the power of social media, the power of being
online nowadays. So we use it for good.
I understand there's a lot of things, but they say what about
we just that the people come andshare and the name of voice of
(27:31):
Arroha because of the other six young people who've been joined
me, which we together we put. I remember there was another
name in the table We were discussing it called House of
Arroha or Voice of Arroha. Then we ended up to choose the
voice of Arroha and we wanted torelate it to things first that
we have a voice on different issues topics.
(27:53):
We also we started we didn't want people to think we are
refugee. We only talk about refugee
topics. No, we can talk about
environment, we can talk about economy, we can talk about
anything can matter to New Zealand because now we are part
of this society. We want to normalize that we are
people here, we are living here,we want to contribute back.
We have a different perspective,different ideas may work, make
(28:15):
someone listen to different ideas how to do things.
So that's the voice started to give marginalized community a
voice. And then I know how we wanted
really to connected to the land,to the place that we are
thankful that drove like the love, the passion we are
bringing each one of us in a different colour.
We wanted to connect it to the land man of funeral, which is
(28:36):
the Arava and the the the name as well.
Later on was blessed by some of our Maori friends chief who
blessed the name and we got yeah, voice of ah.
So it become a podcast. Been knowing as a radio and
podcast as they're now into moreactivities as you see in
(28:57):
LinkedIn, sometimes we share thedifferent activities.
Yeah, that's the origin of the name.
I love, I love the origin again,because the origin is not just
the name that you pick out of me.
And I appreciate it. When you when you came on the
podcast, you acknowledged the name of boss of knowledge and it
was the same thing we went through.
Like the name has got to have a story behind.
It's not just a name that you pick out.
(29:18):
And you know, I love the time you speak about, you know, when
people speak about refugees or, or migrants, you only want to
talk about their life situation.But actually, hey, they have
skill sets, they're smart, you know, they're, they come with
their knowledge and their skills.
So let's not just talk about onepart of their identity.
We're all available for a whole canvas of identities.
(29:39):
So it's beautiful. And I love the fact that, you
know, even if you think about, if you, when I look at it, I go,
hey, we come in and we, what is universal to every single person
in the world is love. It's universal across the board.
You know, whatever, it doesn't matter what it looks like, but
we all know the feeling of love.So, you know, it's, it's a
beautiful, beautiful story there.
And, and what has it been like for, you know, as you reflect
(30:01):
back where you were not six years on, and you think back
what you started, where it is and how it's grown and the
number of lives that that have been impacted.
And I talk about impact because I follow your content.
I follow the people you bring on.
And it's a whole diverse range of people and whole diverse
range of, of topics. And do you ever just sit back
and celebrate that? Wow, this is really cool.
(30:25):
Or have you? Good question, which is I don't
know how to answer that. The reason I say this because I
think we really matter about every person, every stories like
every day. And especially, yeah, when it's
come to end of the year, we do reflect on the year and things.
But now in the six years they'vebeen just a great authentic way
(30:49):
to grow it just grow by itself and just got the support of
community by itself. And I think we, we gave a model
that when you put refugee back on people on the leading the
matter and things they will do 10X and the 10X come because we
put our heart and things and everything into it, because it's
(31:11):
a matter of community, matter ofchanging that person, that
connection we created that person, that story, that
highlight it. This all matter.
No way, no matter how it will matter.
Somehow we, you know, when we dothis, when we share, maybe there
will be 100 people viewer, 10 people maybe get into the end of
the podcast. There's one person we look at
(31:32):
that was the person who take action.
And that's the win for us. And I think creating a lot of
this story, this backgrounds different people, it also give
the picture for the wider society.
There is another narrative to look at.
There's a different story. There's this people who are
doctors, who are doing this, whoare students, who are actually,
(31:54):
you know, the challenge stories as well as coming from them.
So this is what we are trying toput those kind of positive
contents and stories there so people can hear from the people
directly. There's no filter here, just
bring them here. But to have a cordial
conversation. And the other message we want
really that a lot of people, especially in the team, we don't
(32:18):
agree with everything. Yeah, but we come together, we
work and we talk about topics and things.
We share our perspectives and that's it.
So there's a message, we say there's a possibility and no
matter what, how much we disagree.
But then with at least we need to talk, at least we need to sit
and have a conversations. There'll be 10 points that we
(32:39):
may not take. Let's say take a 10 points, nine
of them we may not agree, but there'll be one of them.
We can at least some sort of we agree, you know.
So if we agree on one point and 9:00 left, they think that will
make a way pathway for talking about the other one, the other
one so they can bring us closer bitter so we can leave as a
(32:59):
humans in a society that celebrate everyone, their
colour, their things, whatever. You know, it's just like, you
know, we need to have a space that understanding each other.
We can't cancel each other. We can ignore someone from the
table. Well, just understand what is
exactly really that's a you top priorities.
(33:20):
What's my true priority? What's the understanding?
And you know, we've been doing this and we understand the food
is the main character. Bring everyone together.
And so you see there will be wise.
They will find it and the joy ofbuilding community is so great.
So if you ask me about you to question reflection, I think I
don't know if I will do justice for that because we celebrate
(33:42):
everyday. Every podcast, every moment is a
celebration for us, especially now we turn at the table after
six years, the original 7 we allof them, they've been in great
now successful in their jobs andthings.
That was the mission, but it's become bigger and now the other
people who is coming is buildingthe legacy, how we are passing
(34:04):
back the knowledge to other young people, getting the
experience, meeting with the ministers, meeting with
community leaders, all of that stuff.
I think this is what is creating.
We see the joy and happiness with them.
So that's what make us keep going.
That would make us, you know, great.
That's a lot. And I I love this job doing.
(34:25):
I've been like a privilege and humble to be leading such
organization. But you know what make it these
things all great. And what things is the people,
the people, the amazing people around me.
This is the people who make these things achievable and
great. Yeah, he turned out.
He turned out, he turned out right.
It's the people, the people, thepeople, right.
(34:47):
And I love that answer because my question was, do you take
time to celebrate? And you answered by going.
We celebrate every day. And why I ask that question is
because society and I, I'm also in that society, we, we look for
a reason to celebrate. And actually, you can celebrate
every single day, Every podcast,every conversation is a
celebration. Every disagreement is a
(35:08):
celebration because when people disagree, it means that people
are allowed to be the authentic self.
You know, imagine everyone disagrees just because they're
afraid to be the authentic self.So, you know, it's really,
really beautiful how you have, how you have shared that
narrative because again, it's, it's bigger than you.
And why I've, why I've enjoyed watching Voice of Ardha as well,
is, as you say, first legacy building.
(35:30):
You step back and you let the new generation come through and
they own it and they make it their own.
Although the essence is the same, the flavour is different.
Yeah, yeah. And you know, it's like that
because we've been doesn't say Ithink I like it.
It's just we are created for different times, you know?
So yeah, we have certain issues,certain world that and it's also
(35:53):
up to us how we want to leave this world, how kind of legacy
we want to build and go. And then the other peoples
coming after us, each they have their own time, their own issue,
their own things to talk about. As long as we don't make them
enough of their issues to carry,you know, like there's many
things, but there's the thing. So I think it's a good, we need
(36:13):
to have that thinking of, OK, I've been doing doing this and
this, but I need to mentor someone.
I need to bring some other people as well with me and et
cetera. Especially if you want the
legacy life, please. If we need something temporary
to just go ahead and that's a different story.
Yeah, this is so true, Codrin. We've been focusing on you as an
(36:36):
awesome human being, what you doas a community.
But I'd love to know what you dofor yourself.
And the reason I ask you about that is because sometimes we do
a lot of giving and the people that give a lot, sometimes you
get to look after themselves. And I read some way that you
wrote about, you know, you're going to look after yourself.
I, I read a quote online from you somewhere saying if you
can't look after yourself, you can't look after the community.
(36:57):
So how do you look after yourself?
Well, I may disagree with that one as well.
I don't know. Somehow that's a.
Great way. Disagree a way?
Yeah. Yeah, because I think for or
maybe interpret a different way that for me community become my
friend and become my place to gobecome my social life.
(37:20):
Yeah. And I'm enjoying it.
It's become like something that's how I spend my time.
I I learned a lot of skills, youknow, and tell me I was not a
graph of what do they call it, the graphic designer.
Now I'm a great designer, a lot of great posters and stuff like
that. So I can I learned a lot.
I learned a lot through the workmeeting a lot of people learned
(37:43):
about a lot of culture. So for me, it's like another
PhD. I'm just doing it in a life like
leaving, meeting people, understanding that culturally a
place that food, their stories. So I mean, what else was it just
a great job? It was a great place that I want
to be there. So this is how I look on myself.
So a lot of time it's come on the weekends they'll be
(38:04):
community. I go to support.
So as as much I do to more things, then we go a lot of
support to our friends and communities to be there to
celebrate their events. These things I don't consider as
a part of job as it just for me as a person in society who love
to see who love to learn more. So for me, how I look at myself,
(38:27):
I learn more and how I do that by just celebrating different
communities, going to different events.
That's the biggest part of my life.
You will, I think it will be weird.
There's a one week I'm not attending something or not doing
something, enjoying or meeting, talking someone new, etcetera.
That's what I, I I see as a goodwell-being for me.
(38:49):
Then the other part it's of course, I have a family, mom and
and niece, which is my very close friend, my niece, where I
have a lot of time to give her when they bring her her.
So that's where we, you know, that's my joy, my happiness when
I see my family. Well, yeah, I I enjoy the the
life of community and the life of my personal life, but that's
(39:12):
how I look after myself. So for me, a lot of people think
it's like what I don't consider work.
So despite, you know what we do,we are a child organization.
Like you have a certain hours. But I put more than that because
it's good for my well-being. I just love to see success of
other people. When I see my friend, when I see
(39:33):
the other people's achieving it or doing something great, that's
what I love to see. That's what I'm happy to
celebrate and I feel so good andI feel happy.
And that's how I look at myself because I know, let's say, you
know, the simple acts like when you become reference to someone,
when you just connect someone tosomeone, this all make a
difference and it's just great. You're making someone's day.
(39:53):
And that's my well-being. So that's why how I look myself
at that, some people consider that's too much.
What that's not again, it's not work.
It's more like a being. Active citizen in a community
because I have a knowledge whichis, you know, that's how I say
is love the name of your podcast.
I need to share it. Yeah, and want to share it.
(40:16):
If we share it, you may tell people again that example if
they listen, one of them take action.
That's it. Enough.
And and you know what, I what I asked that was a trick question.
And I asked that question because I see myself and you
because I like to give and people ask me the question and
I'm like, yeah, I like to give And seeing how people succeed
is, is my is my coupleer. And I can see that from me
(40:38):
straight away because there are traditional ways of looking
well-being when you separate work and life and da, da, da.
But when you're doing something that you enjoy, you don't see it
as as work. You just you see it as, as
you're part of your being. You don't separate it out.
And you know, I love how you said, you know, you every
weekend you're out learning. And I love how you said you're
doing a living PhD. You know, this is a living PhD
(41:00):
and I'll be with that. And the only way to do a PhD is
by getting out there by doing things instead of researching
journals. You're out there living lives,
which is amazing. So thank you for sharing that
there because I want people who are listening to think about,
well-being very, very differently.
If you find the thing that you really enjoy, enjoy doing in
life, that can fill your cup every single day, every single
day, and that's a challenge, Go and find.
(41:21):
Go and find that thing because you all have that thing.
Yeah, yeah. You know, because I don't know
if people talk about risk, what is what is exactly risk?
What do you mean risk? Like, you know, we have to
really, when you don't do something, you are definitely
doing something else. If people are not working,
they're either exercising, whatever they do.
(41:43):
If that's the why, that's great.If you enjoy it.
You know, for me, again, for me,it's just part of learning.
That's AI enjoy because I enjoy learning.
So when I'm attending something,this is not a part of work, but
it's part I'm learning, Then I also see the opportunity to tell
those stories or to invite someone or to connect with
someone. So that's how I think part of my
(42:06):
well-being. But yeah, it's, it's a great how
people define and how people also see themselves, which is
also, you know, everyone is different.
That's the beauty of this world.They don't have the way how to
look after themselves. Yeah, and I like that when you
have your wife, your wife becomes younger well-being
because your wife is what keeps you going and keeps you growing.
(42:26):
And and you know, a lot of us don't take time to think about
what our wife is, you know, and some of us have when we when we
were younger, some of us when wewere older, when our life's
changed a bit. But again, it'll be amazing if
people just spend some time thinking on what their wife is.
And you don't have to have the answer.
There's no correct answer. It's just an answer.
But Ryan, I know you have your time is gathering up.
(42:49):
I'm just like this. I'm sure we can deep dive for
hours and hours and hours. So we might have to get you back
onto onto the podcast and deep dive into your story, but we're
not going to let you go just yet.
Our podcast, as you know, is called Basques of Knowledge.
And you've shared a lot of knowledge today.
But we'd love for you to end this podcast by sharing one
piece of knowledge to put into our kids here for myself, our
(43:10):
listeners, A piece of knowledge that has helped you in your
world, whichever world you're looking at.
Beautiful. I think I will say be a good
human, leave a good legacy or leave a good or build a good
ancestor. I think when you think about
(43:32):
this, build a good assistant. Whatever you do now, you next
generation kids, they will be proud of your name and we can do
that. So how to do that?
Being a good citizen, being a good human, that's enough.
You don't need to build a buildings or doing a million of
things to see that that's a goodancestor.
(43:53):
Being a good human, being a goodancestor, it's a way to go that
will be simple, beautiful life that we are living for the next
generation. I love that.
I love that. Be a good.
Ancestor, how beautiful. And I say so simple.
Be a good human, be a good citizen.
So simple, so effective and so powerful.
(44:15):
Cadrian, any last words before we love and leave you to feel a
way to do some other amazing things that you're doing?
Yeah, no, I really appreciate you and thank you so much for
inviting me to this lovely podcast.
And yeah, looking forward to do more for when you're in the
Hidden Wellington. We now host you.
So now your host us. We need to invite you as well to
(44:37):
come so you can have more conversations and time to learn
about each other. And also, you know, this is the
online world with this. This is the tools.
Let's listen to such a podcast more, such as stories more, and
that can hopefully benefit and improve someone's life there.
Yeah. Thank you so much.
Really appreciate the time. It was a great conversation with
(44:59):
you. Now always thank you so much and
it will be a privilege in order to be on on the other end of via
post Aloha for listeners. As you said, as you had at the
start, I was very blessed and privileged to have Cadreon on
our podcast. And you can see why because
there's a depth of richness herethat is not just about a title,
but a depth of richness from experience and from Autohar that
comes from the heart, but also from community building.
(45:21):
So if you have not seen any of his work, please follow him on
LinkedIn. Look for voices of Autohar on
the socials. They do some really amazing work
and they have a gala dinner coming up in a few weeks time.
Go on there donates, you know, make change lives just by as
Codrion said, be a good human and that can just be by doing
something simple. So till next time, don't forget
(45:41):
to put something to your boss's knowledge.
Don't forget to smile. And as Codrion said today, don't
forget to be a good ancestor. Till next time talk it there.
Bye everybody, Peace. Thank you for listening to
Bastards of Knowledge. Yeah, we hope that you found
(46:02):
something useful to put into your bastard knowledge.
And as we said before, remember to put something little into
your baskets of knowledge every week.
And as always, feel free to like, comment and share this
podcast. Thanks, everybody.
Bye.
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