What a lovely story.

The daughter of New Zealand's top representative in Afghanistan has taken to busking in an effort to raise money for the country's children.

Day to day life in Afghanistan is a challenge at the best of times, but for the children it can be life or death.

The war torn nation has one of the worst infant mortality rates in the world, and while our defence force is doing what it can, the daughter of our top man in Bamiyan is taking to the streets this Christmas to do her part.

Leah Dransfield is half a world away from her father, but singing the same tune. Colonel Martin Dransfield is doing what he can to help those in Bamiyan

His 17 year old daughter, who kissed him goodbye in October, is using her own special skills to raise money for the country's impoverished kids.

"We're so lucky in New Zealand and we've all got so much stuff over Christmas and we just want to raise as much money as we can. And it's going towards medical supplies and all sorts of stuff for the babies," says Leah Dransfield.

Instrumental in this campaign on the homefront is Leah's mum, Cathey Dransfield.

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She's been running bake sales and organising volunteers to knit baby clothes.

"About one in four babies die at birth and that's just through poor pre and post natal care so just little bits of money can make a huge difference," says Cathey Dransfield.

The money raised here will go to two Afghan woman the Kiwis have taken a special interest in and that's because they're having to raise their babies in a cold prison.

"They were in arranged marriages probably to older men and they wanted to be with the men of their choice so when they decided to take that step they were obviously caught or found out," says Cathey Dransfield.

Leah will be spreading some Christmas cheer for a good cause on Cuba Mall over the festive period.