Carving a new life in Feilding

New Zealand is the third country that Sancho Elape has moved to, but is the first country other than his own, that it feels like a more permanent move.  Sancho is a Filipino butcher and chef by trade.  He began his international career in Dubai and was recruited to join the team at Ovation in Feilding.

He feels a sense of family with his team at Ovation and as an organisation Ovation works hard to ensure the employees invited to move to New Zealand for work both feel included and are looked after.

Migrant workers play an important role in our community and our workforce.  Workers come from around the world to fill skill gaps, provide international knowledge and contribute to the growth, innovation and entrepreneurship of the industries they are a part of.

In 1997, Filipino and other Asian migrant organisations began celebrating and promoting 18 December as the International Day of Solidarity with Migrants.   It was this same date in 1990 that the UN adopted the International Convention on the Protection of Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families.

Sancho’s is proud of his Filipino heritage and actively engages in the Manawatū Filipino community but that hasn’t stopped him from embracing the kiwi way of life.  Although he is still getting use to kiwi slang, he regularly plays basketball at the Feilding Civic Centre and loves the ambiance of the environment throughout the District.  His favourite place to visit is Kōwhai Park, particularly the duck pond. He recently received his residency, a special moment for Sancho and proof of his commitment to building his life in New Zealand.

As today is International Migrants Day, MDC through the Welcoming Communities programme acknowledges the contributions made by migrant workers to our economies and the businesses that respect, encourage and employ migrant workers throughout the Manawatū District.