Invercargill woman Hanni Hopsu’s feelings of empathy for people suffering in Ukraine motivated her to step up.
As a way to raise funds for Kiwi Kare (Kiwi Aid and Refugee Evacuation) she decided to walk the Bluff Hill Loop track for 24 hours last Friday.
She began the walk at 10am and by the completion of her journey on Saturday, she had done 13 laps and raised $2210 and counting (via Givealittle).
The track was about 7.4km and goes from the end of Ward Parade and over the summit of Bluff Hill and along the coastline.
She was "ecstatic" after her journey as it had not come without its challenges, she said.
"My feet are pretty destroyed — I’m not an athlete, I’m a nursing student. But I’m really glad I did it, it has been such a good experience."
She was grateful for the support people showed for the initiative whether through messages or joining her for a lap on the track.
About seven people joined her at various times, including a friend who came at midnight after her work shift to walk a lap.
"I get inspired by people’s kindness because I get so weighed down by bad things happening in the world, but things like this makes me realise there’s a lot of good people in the world."
"It was a little scary in the dark and sometimes I could hear my own heart beating, and I was so tired but when the sun came up it was so lovely to see the light."
The initiative was important to her as she was a Finnish citizen and could empathise with the people of Ukraine, she said.
"Supporting Ukraine is such a big thing in Finland as Russia tried to invade our country at the end of the 1930s, so we know what Ukraine is going through at the moment because it is also a part of our history."
Her great-grandfather died in the war, and her great-uncles came back impacted by the effects of it, she said.
"The war in Ukraine brings it home how important our independence is, and what sacrifices our grandparents made to keep that, so this war has made us appreciate our freedom more."
