The Gaia Collection’s Community Collection Challenge: Two Students Making A Difference One Species At A Time

70,000 native species call Aotearoa home. Each and everyone of them is unlike anything else in this world, but sadly over 7,500 species are currently at risk of extinction.

Eli Bennett and Olivia Ediriweera, two year 13 students from Wa Ora Montessori school saw this issue and decided something needed to be done. They saw the countless species here in Aotearoa that are on the brink of extinction with no awareness or attention being brought to them. Some species are so endangered that every year it is wondered if this will be their last.

So, The Gaia Collection was born. The Gaia Collection is a Young Enterprise Scheme business which was formed on the idea of spreading awareness and protecting some of Aotearoa’s most endangered wildlife, before it's too late.

These students dedicated to conservation launched their line of sustainable wooden laser engraved earrings in the shape of three different endangered species in mid June with the aim of sparking more conversations about the importance of Aoetearoa’s wildlife. CFO Eli Bennett said that “Diversity enriches our life, biodiversity is what gives us life”.

These students want to make an impact, so they have been working with Forest and Bird to donate $5 from every pair sold to their Fairy Tern Project.

The Fairy Terns are a coastal bird found in Northland and are one of Aoetearoa’s most endangered birds with less than 40 birds left… These students hope to make a difference for these birds as if nothing is done it is absolutely possible that they could be lost in the next couple of years.

CEO Oliva Ediriweera said that “When we live in a country as beautiful as Aoetearoa why shouldn’t we be doing everything we can to protect it? Extinction is a point of no return.”. So on top of all the work they are doing with their earrings they have created the Community Collection Challenge.

This is going to be a week-long event running from the 11th-17th of October where they are challenging all Kiwis to collect rubbish from around their local community. Every year a whopping 7 Billion tons of rubbish makes its way to Aoetaroa’s ocean harming our amazing wildlife. So if they hope their collection challenge can help reduce this number and in turn help save countless marine animals.

But that's not all! As their business is focused around helping the Fairy Tern and the Community Collection Challenge requires a $5 registration fee, with all proceeds going towards the Fairy Tern Project.

These students know they can make a difference for the Fairy Terns and so many marine animals but they need your help!

You can find out how to register to be apart of the Community Collection Challenge by heading to their website: https://thegaiacollection.mystorbie.com/ccc

A little bit about us:

Olivia Ediriweera, CEO and Eli Bennett, CFO are two year 13 business students from Wa Ora Montessori in Naenae, Lower Hutt, Wellington taking part in the Young Enterprise Scheme. They are the owners of the The Gaia Collection and have a huge passion for New Zealand wildlife.

Instagram: @the.gaiacollection

Facebook: @thegaiacollection.nz

Website: https://thegaiacollection.mystorbie.com/

Email: info.thegaiacollection@gmail.com

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