More than 120 million children worldwide do not attend school, and on the weekend of March 16-18 more than 120,000 New Zealand schoolchildren will do World Vision’s 40 Hour Famine to try to help them.
As well as education, the money Famine participants raise will provide other basics – shelter, food, healthcare and water – to children in need around the world.
Funds raised through the 40 Hour Famine will provide the basics of life to people like Djamila in Niger.
“Each year through the Famine, young New Zealanders learn about different poverty issues and get inspired to raise money to help. This year’s Famine theme Give basics, give life draws attention to the millions of children who go without the basics every day,” says Layla Salamoun, World Vision Youth Marketing Manager.
In this fast-paced New Zealand society where ‘basics’ seem to include broadband and mobile phones, World Vision aims to remind Kiwis that ‘basics’ for the world’s poor are often a matter of survival.
“At a time when there is enough global resource to cover the world’s basic needs, it’s unacceptable that millions of people are struggling to survive because they lack access to things like food, water and education,” says Ms Salamoun.
“It’s exciting that young people here in New Zealand are enthusiastic about going without their basics, whether that’s food, comfort, technology or something similar, because they know it’s going to make a difference,“ she says.
World Vision hopes to raise $3 million through the 40 Hour Famine this year, which will be used for projects that meet children’s basic needs. The projects provide healthcare in Mongolia and Ethiopia; food in Cambodia and Uganda; shelter in Honduras; water in Tanzania; education in Niger and Nicaragua. Funds will also be used for projects working on HIV and AIDS prevention, child labour and with street children.
“Sacrificing one weekend here to change a person’s entire life overseas is a simple concept, and one that Kiwi kids can understand and get involved with,” Ms Salamoun says.
The 40 Hour Famine started in 1975 in response to a devastating famine in Ethiopia. Now, 32 years on, it has become a New Zealand school tradition. Last year 126,000 New Zealanders took part in the Famine, raising a total of $2.67 million.
The official Famine weekend begins at 8pm on Friday March 16 and finishes at 11am on Sunday March 18 (taking into account daylight saving).
Elsewhere
Congo crisis deepens and thousands more pour into Goma The ceasefire in Congo has failed and over the weekend thousands of traumatised people have poured into Goma more >>
Crisis in Congo: World Vision New Zealand commits USD $25,000 USD more >>
World Vision New Zealand commits $200,000 to Bihar floods more >>
Kitkupar Shangpliang, World Vision India Communications Coordinator more >>
