Seeing hungry children being schooled in dilapidated buildings in a remote African village was an experience that changed Devon Kilkelly's life.
The 25-year-old Dunedin nurse spent six months living in the village of Ngara in northern Malawi back in 2017 (she was aged 17) through her time with Volunteer Service Abroad (VSA) - and what she witnessed there had a profound effect on her.
"The village is very remote," she says. "It had no power, no running water and still doesn't today. The kids went to school in dilapidated and rundown buildings, they were often hungry. It broke my heart."
"I went there because I wanted to immerse myself in a different culture. It gave me a fire in the belly to strive to achieve my goals and help others - and a real drive to take up a nursing career."
For her work in Ngara, Kilkelly won an ASB Good as Gold award. The bank gave her $10,000, a large chunk of which she used to help build two new school buildings in the village.
Although now back in New Zealand working at the Mercy Hospital in Dunedin, Kilkelly's story comes as ASB celebrates the sixth year of Good as Gold.
The regular Good as Gold segment on Seven Sharp sees Kiwis nominated by members of the public and rewarded by ASB for the great things they do in their communities - or sometimes because they are going through a hard time and need a little help.
Since 2016, 181 winners have received almost $1.5 million in prizes and support for their initiatives.
Today Kilkelly recalls being "shocked" at receiving the award. "I couldn't believe it but now I realise what it meant for the kids in Ngara; ASB gave us such a great opportunity to make even more of a difference.
"The award got my story out there and, as a result, I received amazing support (from other Kiwis and companies). New Zealanders are amazing."
Kilkelly has not stopped helping. In 2018 she returned briefly with her parents to deliver a playground donated to the village ("the kids there had no idea what a swing was") and today continues to fund raise for a porridge programme in which the children receive a bowl of the cereal every day.
"I would love to go back specially to see the twins I helped into an orphanage when I was there, they would be seven now," she says.
Kilkelly kept a journal of her time in Ngara and is hoping to publish it as a book: "This is the most special thing to me as I want to forever treasure and share my incredible Malawian memories."
Over the time ASB Good as Gold has been running many other inspiring stories have emerged, reminding us, says ASB, of all that is good in humanity.
Maiyah Martin, of Christchurch was only eight when she received her award in 2019. Her idol is Mother Theresa and Mayiah did not let her young age stop her from living up to her idol's words, "I can't do great things but I can do small things with great love." Those small things were baking and selling cupcakes to raise funds to make up hygiene kits for the homeless and to buy food for the Christchurch City Mission.
Another recipient was Leah Stewart of Auckland. Leah met Alisha, who has severe cerebral palsy, at school - and since then had been devoted to ensuring her friend was able to achieve all her ambitions.
Leah took Alisha around the world in her wheelchair - totally single-handedly - for the first of their great adventures. When filming Leah's ASB Good as Gold story, the bank also discovered she had selflessly donated a kidney to a stranger. As ASB says, she is "a magical human being."
Mel and Del Rameka, of Kaikohe, (known far and wide in the Far North as 'Mumma' and 'Papa') received their award in 2019 for investing their time - and money from their own pocket - into providing a pathway out of trouble and into opportunity through sport, for the teenagers of their town.
Recognising the act of devoting a life to helping our youth continued when Jolene Busby of Opua won her award. Affectionately known as Northland's 'Aunty Jo' Jolene teaches the ancient art of Maori navigation and waka sailing to help teenagers in her area get on the right path. A 2019 recipient, she believes the skills are 'medicine' for modern youth.
Stories of redemption don't get much better than that of Scott Tulua from South Auckland, a winner in 2021. A former gang member, Scott's life changed the day he looked into the eyes of his firstborn for the first time.
Then and there, he decided to change his life and look for ways to do good for his community. He set up, and still runs, a charity to provide bikes, riding lessons and bicycle upkeep training to children in local schools in his area.
ASB Chief Executive Officer Vittoria Shortt says the ASB team loves being an integral part of the communities they live, work and play in.
"We roll up our sleeves and are proud to help make a difference in Kiwis' lives; it's part of living our purpose of accelerating the financial wellbeing of all New Zealanders and ASB Good as Gold has allowed us to go one step further in recognising and helping community champions reach their goals.
"Over the past six years we have gifted nearly $1.5 million to these deserving Kiwis," she says. "On behalf of ASB, I want to congratulate the wonderful winners over the years and am looking forward to celebrating many more in the years to come."