Former Scholarship Recipient Making a Difference

Sophia with one of the children she has been working with.

The Sumner Ferrymead Foundations Scholarships & Awards Programme provides funding to both individuals and community groups residing in the Foundation’s catchment area. Sophia Clark was the recipient of the 2023 $5000 Humanities Scholarship sponsored in memory of Richard Brinkman, and it has helped her to study for her final year in Development Studies in Spain at the Universidad Carloss III de Madrid. Her focus is on international conflicts and politics, particularly through the lens of humanitarian aid and forced migration.

Being able to study overseas in 2024 was an exciting opportunity but in “true Sophia style” she turned it into an ever greater opportunity; she used the summer vacation to live in Greece and to volunteer with the NGO Lifting Hands International, working with children from various refugee diasporas, primarily the Middle East.

My role involved creating a safe space for the children through a play-based developmental program for early years and offering school-aged children opportunities to engage in sports and to participate in an after-school club. This program is critical, as many of these children have been in survival mode for long periods, and this marks one of their first steps towards a stable, safe environment. Additionally, I taught English to children and teenagers in the camp, helping them become familiar with a classroom setting—often for the first time. My focus was on teaching them vocabulary and skills that would prepare them to integrate into society once they leave the camp,” commented Sophia. “One of the most rewarding moments was seeing the children learn to collaborate and work as a team. A vital aim of the program was to help them move out of the "fight or flight" state, which is a natural trauma response for many of them. Watching them play together, learning to share and cooperate, was incredibly fulfilling. On a lighter note, with the summer temperatures reaching over 40°C, bringing out the sprinklers was always a hit! The greatest challenge was not being able to do more. In such situations, it's essential to maintain a level of emotional distance because many of these children have been separated from loved ones or experienced abandonment. Yet, they are brilliant, kind, and resilient children; it's hard not to feel deeply connected to their journeys.

Once her degree is completed, Sophia plans to continue working on the ground with refugees, specifically focusing on those arriving through the Eastern Mediterranean route (from Turkey to Greece). She also plans to work in support roles for refugees on the Greek islands, helping them navigate the early stages of their migration journey. “I have dreamed of working in this field since I was a child. I feel incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work with such inspiring people and organisations, and to begin my career at such a young age. Moving overseas has opened doors to incredible opportunities I never imagined were possible. I am deeply grateful for the chance to work in this inspiring field, an experience that will always be a part of me.

Sophia comes from a family that has a real commitment to “giving back to the community” yet until Sophia applied for the scholarship her parents were unaware of the work of the Sumner Ferrymead Foundation. When the chair of the Foundation, Martin Hawes, made mention of the need for new trustees at the awards evening, her father Andrew Clark was one of three attendees who decided to become involved. “As a family we have always been involved in the local community, and becoming a trustee has enabled me to become involved in a different way. The Sumner Ferrymead Foundation catchment area – from Taylors Mistake to Mt Pleasant, around to Heathcote and across to Brookhaven – has some wonderful amenities, and through expanding the individual awards programme that my daughter was fortunate to be a recipient of, to include a range of community awards then so many more of the residents will benefit. It’s an exciting development for the Foundation, and a worthwhile opportunity for potential sponsors.

The Sumner Ferrymead Foundation Community Awards Programme builds on the Scholarships & Awards Programme that has been running since 2021 and last years $30,000 donation to five community groups to celebrate 30 years of service to the community. Applications for the 2025 individual and community awards will open early January 2025; information and the application form will be on the Foundations website www.sumnerferrymeadfoundation.co.nz from January 6th.