A three-minute documentary highlighting the work of Ekta NZ Inc, a Wellington-based charity supporting migrant and ethnic communities, has won the Wellington UNESCO City of Film: Diversity in Film award at the inaugural Community Film Challenge organised by Volunteer Wellington.
The challenge brought together 28 charities and young filmmakers, tasking each team with producing a documentary about its partner organisation. Each film had to be completed within a week of the pairing and could not exceed three minutes.
In Ekta’s case, the filmmakers were paired with the charity on a Friday evening and began filming the following morning. The documentary, titled Young Joys | EKTA, was submitted on September 20.
Ekta spokesperson Yasmin Irani said the film captured the organisation’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.
“The documentary captures diversity and inclusiveness very poignantly. It is an intense few minutes showing Ekta (unity) in action. We are so proud that the film won the Diversity in Film award, as that is what we are all about.
“We are glad that a documentary made by a third party can show how migrant and ethnic communities are giving back to New Zealand.
“For the last seven years, we have been operating every Saturday afternoon on one of Wellington’s busiest streets. No Saturday goes by without someone stopping to thank us and compliment us on the service we provide. Motorists and bus passengers regularly peer through the windows to see what is going on.”
Kashmir Kaur, Ekta’s long-time administrator, said the organisation’s regular food distribution operation on Manners Street had become an important community initiative.
“We are now an established feature of Manners Street, and one of the city councillors regularly joins us. This operation has become a platform for the ethnic community to host meals for the vulnerable and needy of the city.
“We not only help those in need but also build social cohesion. Our volunteers and the people who receive our services come from all corners of the world, including South America, Africa, Asia, and Europe, and represent all age groups. Our oldest volunteer is over 84 years old. We also bring together people from different faiths and ethnicities, and from all economic backgrounds.
“We are so glad that the documentary captures all this. The award is yet another testament to Ekta’s success in building social cohesion. This can only be achieved through action, and the recognition underscores the need to continue supporting projects that enable migrants and ethnic communities not only to contribute to a cohesive society, but also to have their contributions seen and recognised.”
Ekta distributes food and groceries through five sites across Wellington, supporting more than 450 people each week. Over the past year, the organisation provided approximately 25,000 instances of food and grocery support to people in need.
Its Manners Street operation has been running regularly since May 2019, providing a space for volunteers and community members to support vulnerable people.
Beyond food distribution, Ekta has also expanded its community initiatives. The organisation recently established an ethnic choir, which made its debut in early August, and is now launching Mamta, a mental wellbeing programme.
The award recognises both the filmmakers’ work and Ekta’s efforts to promote inclusion, community support and social cohesion in Wellington.
The three-minute documentary, Young Joys | EKTA, is available to watch on Facebook.
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