It was sitting at the kitchen table in 2013 when Northland teenager Ezekiel Raui was compelled to take action following a tragic cluster of youth suicides in his tight-knit community.
Five years later and at the ripe old age of 20, he's just returned from the UK where he received the Queen's Young Leaders Award in recognition of all he's done helping youngsters on the brink.
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Fresh from Buckingham Palace, he appeared on The Project on Wednesday to discuss how he's maintaining his pledge to help the youth of Aotearoa.
"For me personally the big takeaway was the networking and the resource-sharing, because I got to meet amazing young people from across the Commonwealth," he says.
"One thing I'm really excited to be a part of is the Festival for the Future, which is coming up at the end of this month in Wellington.
"They're focusing a lot of their time, one of their key themes being physical and mental wellbeing for young people, so I'll be down there."
Where to find help and support:
- Need to Talk? - Call or text 1737
- Lifeline - 0800 543 354 or (09) 5222 999 within Auckland
- Youthline - 0800 376 633, text 234, email talk@youthline.co.nz or online chat
- Samaritans - 0800 726 666
- Depression Helpline - 0800 111 757
- Suicide Crisis Helpline - 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO)
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