Alongside its normal broadcasting, Apna also organises, sponsors or broadcasts a range of events and promotions, including soccer matches, festivals and on-air charity appeals. For example, in 2009 it held a Best Flower Garden contest on
Mother's Day.
Charity appeals used a 2013 Eid Festival event sponsored by Apna to voice his opposition to same-sex marriage. In 2009, Apna 990 raised $200,000 in a 54-hour on-air appeal for relief efforts following
Fiji floods. This was double its fundraising target of $100,000. Many of the donations came from west and south Auckland, from Fijian Indians with families in Fiji. The relief supplies were distributed across the
Western Division to places like
Lautoka, Ba Province and
Nadi. In March 2010, the station held a 40-hour appeal to raise funds for victims of
Cyclone Tomas in Fiji. The storm had caused widespread destruction to some northern parts of Fiji, leaving thousands of people homeless. Food was collected at several sites around Auckland, and a bank account was set up to deposit money towards the relief effort. Apna raised $133,000, and used the money to distribute flour, rice, dhal, milk powder, biscuits, onions, potatoes, salt, tinned fish, noodles, tea and soap to 2000 people. New Zealand volunteers travelled at their own expense to help distribute the supplies. In March 2011, Apna raised $100,000 for victims of the
2011 Christchurch earthquake. The money was raised to replace the Sikh Temple and Community Centre in Sydenham, and repair the Indian Hall in Phillipstown and Hare Krishna Temple in Richmond. Sikh and Muslim residents were affected by the earthquake, Indian businesses were destroyed, and Pakistan and Somalian communities hosted displaced families. The earthquake also led many migrant communities to relocate to Auckland temporarily. Labour MP
Ashraf Choudhary congratulated Apna for their fundraising efforts. Apna promotes itself as an ethnic media entity, and targets ethnic communities. In September 2012, the company sponsored the Eid Festival at Māngere Centre Park, as part of New Zealand Islam Awareness Week. The sports and market festival was organised by the New Zealand Muslim Sports Association and the South Auckland Muslim Association, and was also supported by the
Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand, the Council of Christians and Muslims and the Counties Manukau Ethnic Council. However, it lacked the endorsement of many
Islamic Centres and Islamic leaders. Apna hosts played music, held quizzes and led recitations from the
Quran.
Labour Party MP
William Sio used the event to discuss his opposition to
same-sex marriage in New Zealand.
Football In February 2011, Apna was the naming rights sponsor of the New Zealand Fiji Football Association's first Fiji Soccer Cup, organised in collaboration with
New Zealand Football and the
Fiji Football Association. The tournament was aimed at strengthening relationships between the
Oceania Football Confederation teams, and giving New Zealand fans the opportunity to support Fijian players and teams. Fijj Football Association president Sahu Khan said Apna had made the event financially possible, and was already contributing to Fijian society in several other ways. The tournament marked the opening of a $2 million modern stadium at Centre Park in
Māngere, and Apna managing director Sahil Shah was a patron of the stadium. Some members of the Fijian community described the tournament as the most important New Zealand football event of the year. ==References==