Kris and the magic laptop

This story was submitted by Izzy, youth worker from our Real services in Whakatū

Not too long ago, I caught wind of a new initiative at Pathways — an effort to refurbish old work laptops and gift them to young people in need. Naturally, I had someone in mind. Enter Kris: a bright young guy with big aspirations but a not-so-big tablet making schoolwork feel like a battle.

Fast forward to Ross who worked with the Recycle a Device (RAD) programme team, who emailed to say he was sending a laptop our way. It was official: we were part of the pilot! When I told Kris about it, his response was measured, but I could tell he was processing what it meant for him. Excitement doesn’t always show up in obvious ways, and that’s okay. He let me know he was keen and grateful, which is what really mattered.

Today, we sat down to set up his brand-new (to him) laptop. This wasn’t just about a laptop — it was about people believing in him, investing in his future, and making sure he had the tools to succeed. And that hit home. Kris, ever humble, expressed his gratitude many times.

And when he finally got everything running, the realisation sunk in: schoolwork just got way easier. No more wrestling with a tiny tablet screen. No more excuses for not handing in assignments. Just a solid piece of tech to help him push forward. His words summed it up best:

“It feels nice to have people believe in me”

That belief is what feeds his soul, keeps him striving, and reminds him that he’s got a whole team in his corner. And honestly? That’s way more powerful than any laptop.

The world we live in is increasingly digital. We’re committed to help those we support to fully participate in society by removing barriers to technology. So, we partnered with Recycle A Device (RAD), to refurbish old laptops and give to taiohi who wouldn’t have one otherwise.
To find out more visit  Recycle A Device

— This story was first featured in Harikoa magazine (issue 1, 2025)