Southern View: March 21, 2024

6
Thursday March 21 2024
Helping mums who need it most
• By Sasha Watson
HAVING A baby can be scary –
especially if you’re on your own.
That’s why Mickenzi Askin
started making baby bundle
packs to donate to mums in need
of some help.
The packs contain blankets,
lotions, lip balms, toys, creams,
clothing, bottles and more.
“Each pack is different but all
are designed for mums to be or
struggling mums with newborns
to one-year-olds. The only thing
we ask is what the gender is as we
don’t get enough gender neutral
items.
“They’re based on who needs
it most and if we don’t have any
available, we also offer other help
like referrals to organisations
who can give the right support.
“In today’s world, the need
to support women, especially if
pregnant, has grown. It makes
me happy knowing the help I
once received is being passed
on,” said Askin.
She became pregnant at age 17
with her daughter, Scarlett, who
is now eight-and-a-half.
“I was still in school so I lost a
lot of friends, had no money and,
at that time, there was not a lot of
help out there for young mums.
Askin and her friend Amber
Braxton make up the packs. She
is helping Braxton through her
first pregnancy.
Said Askin: “With Madeline,
who is five-an-a-half, my second
pregnancy, I had a partner
who wasn’t physically there so
I basically raised my children
alone.
“I also wasn’t producing any
milk so a stranger donated theirs
to the hospital.
“They’ll never know how much
I needed that and I can’t ever
thank them. So I wanted to
give back because I know how
much it’s needed.”
Askin knows situations
change all the time, having
made a “quick move” from
Geraldine to the city about
five years ago. She says that is
often when new mums need
help.
“I moved
without
having
much of
anything
but my
children
into my
nana’s
house.
“I ran to St Vinnies in
Hornby and said to the
ladies there: ‘I really need
some help’.
“They were about five
minutes from closing the shop
but I explained my situation
and they stayed to help
me with sheets,
clothing and
much more.
BABY BUNDLERS:
Mickenzi Askin
and mum-to-be
Amber Braxton
make up baby
bundle packs for
mums who
need a
little
bit of
help.
“Just what I needed, so it gives
me joy someone else might get a
smile and a bit of support out of
this too.”
Askin sent her first six packs
out last week and said the mums
were very grateful to receive
them.
“It went very well. We’ll keep
doing bundles as long as we keep
getting donations.
“I didn’t think it would take
off but after asking my small
following on Instagram, we’re
receiving donations from all over
New Zealand.”
When she’s not making packs
or working on her business,
Sustainable Mama, which focuses
on creating sustainable and
natural products like wooden
baby rattles and healthy skin
creams and lotions, Askin
volunteers at the St Vincent de
Paul shop in Hornby.
“I started volunteering about
four weeks ago. It’s a nice wee
cycle, going back to help the
beautiful women there.”
•To donate or for
more information
about the packs,
contact Mickenzi
Askin on her Facebook
page https://www.
facebook.com/
sustainablemama.nz
GOOD DEEDS: Mickenzi Askin with daughters Madeline,
5, Scarlett, 8, and friend Amber Braxton.
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