Little girl, big heart

When five-year-old Asia Areora heard about the devastation to Aitutaki caused by Cyclone Pat, she knew she had to do something.

The ACG Sunderland Primary School student of West Auckland felt deeply for her family in Aitutaki and she wanted to help out. She didn’t let her limited savings -- $10 in her treasure chest – stop her.

She knew it wasn’t enough to build a house, so she asked her mum and dad whether they’d mind putting up the money to do so.

Areora was disappointed to hear that building a house might be too costly a venture, but she didn’t give up.

She used her own pocket money to buy the ingredients she needed to bake cupcakes and contacted family and friends, asking them to place orders.

“By the end of the first week, (she) had confirmed orders for over 300 cupcakes!” gushed her mum Natasha in an e-mail. “Well, who could say no to that cute smile.”

She spent two weekends baking and decorating cupcakes with her parents, and after filling all the orders she had collected $820 to donate to the Aitutaki Cyclone Appeal.

“She has such a big heart and always thinks of others before herself, even at five years old,” Natasha wrote.

Asia is looking forward to moving to Rarotonga next year with her parents and her little sister Jaselle.