RADIO STAR'S FAMILY MISSION 'WE'RE GIVING KIDS A HELPING HAND'

These caring Kiwis are looking after those less fortunate

Radio presenter Bjorn Brickell has always had a close relationship with his father-in-law Andrew Durrans, but their bond reached a new level when they both got to meet the children they support as part of World Vision's child sponsorship programmes in Tanzania and Bangladesh.

Bjorn travelled with his station, Life FM, to Luguru in Tanzania as part of Chosen, a child sponsorship campaign in which children choose their sponsors, instead of the other way around.

Bjorn says he was moved to tears when his family was picked by a seven-year-old boy, Martini, who lives with his parents and two siblings.

"It was so special to watch him go through all the photos and choose our family," says Bjorn. "Afterwards, he told me he liked the photo of our family because we were holding our cat!"

Bjorn's wife Libby stayed home with their children Jay, five, and Leo, two, but she was delighted that the boy they sponsor will benefit from the work the organisation is doing to support children, including those like Martini, who has physical and learning disabilities.

"In a society like Luguru, there's not a lot of safety nets for kids with disabilities, so I was stoked he will get that extra support specifically to live his best life," tells Bjorn.