Kiwis are condemning vandals who left almost 2,000 plants grown by a Syrian refugee looking like a tornado had hit, destroying his newly made livelihood in the process.
Khaled Al Jouja was a specialist gardener in now war-torn Syria but resettled in Lower Hutt last year, and he had just created a pop-up nursery so he could be self-employed.
He also helps out at the charity, The Common Unity Project Aotearoa, where he produces food to be turned into meals "for those who need it most," says founder Julia Milne.
But on Tuesday morning, he came home to find his new livelihood decimated, with only an eighth of the 2,000 plants salvageable.
However people are coming together to "right the wrong".
Tauranga student Rosie Collins had previously visited the charity Common Unity Project and yesterday heard about Mr Al Jouja's plants being ransacked.
"It was really wrong. It felt so off for New Zealand, it didn't feel right at all," she said.
Ms Collins had previously worked on Syrian campaigns with a charitable organisation.
"It's somewhere that's been so traumatised already, all [Mr Al Jouja] is trying to do is make a life for himself."
"He's done nothing but work for Kiwis since he arrived."
So she decided to "kill it with kindness" and began a Givealittle page to supplement donations coming in for Mr Al Jouja from the Common Unity Project.
In just 24 hours, $2,285 rolled in to support Mr Al Jouja and his family.
"Hate just breeds hate, and I don't want that in New Zealand," Ms Collins wrote on the page.
A guest donor wrote: "From one gardener to another. Welcome to NZ, we are all immigrants at some stage."
Riley, 7, and Isla, 4, wrote: "We hope your plants will grow well."
Another guest donor commented: "It takes courage to grow and fear to destroy. Keep going buddy."
Other Kiwis were calling out the vandals.
Geoffry Ward wrote on Facebook: "Some people make me sick! I’m so glad that so many people have come together to help Khaled get his nursery back up and running especially after the help he is providing our community."
Gayle Theuissen commented: "My heart ached when I read this story."
"Khaled, I wish you all of the very best and may your new garden grow and flourish. Sorry that you had to have this awful experience."
Donations of soil, seeds and money have also poured in to the Common Unity Project, with the final amount (including the proceeds of the Givealittle page) to be announced tomorrow at midday at the community event - 'Potting Up for Khaled' .
The donations would all go directly to Mr Al Jouja, providing him with his "dream greenhouse".
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