Refugees bound for a new life in Horowhenua are due to start arriving in November after more than a year of delays. The New Zealand refugee quota increased to 1500 quote refugees last year, and those settling in Levin were originally to start arriving in June 2020. The Colombian refugees were in Ecuador and had sought refugee status with UN refugee agency, UNHCR, and the International Organisation for Migration which arranged travel for quota refugees. Refugees went into managed isolation for two weeks upon arrival, before participating in the reception programme at the Māngere Refugee Resettlement Centre in Auckland. Kāinga Ora and Community Housing are building 36 homes over three years in Horowhenua, funded as part of the refugee resettlement programme, but not specifically for refugees.

Source: Stuff August 15, 2021 00:33 UTC