Our 2010 Youth Ambassadors – Jessamy (WA), Tom (NSW), Jasmine (QLD), Hamish (VIC) and Georgia (SA) along with World Vision volunteer Matt Darvas (who featured in our 2010 videos from Nepal) are gearing up to join you this weekend as an estimated 300,000 Australians go without in the 40 Hour Famine.
As part of their role as Youth Ambassadors, they headed to Nepal at the start of this year to see poverty first hand. They've blogged about their experiences and inspired thousands at Global Leadership Conventions, schools, churches and community groups in the months since that trip.
So, we though we should ask them what they're giving up and why...
Jessamy
Youth Ambassador for Western Australia
Visit her Blog here
Donate to Jess via her Online Fundraising Page here
Motivation: To help the people that I met in Nepal.Giving up: Well, this year I'm doing a 168 hour famine - its a taste tester of most of the '40 Hour Famine go-withouts':
Monday 16 - No speaking and eating only rice
Tuesday 17 - No furniture and eating only rice
Wednesday 18 - No food
Thursday 19 - No technology and eating only rice
Friday 20 - Not using my thumbs, and eating only rice
At 8pm officially Famine begins, so no rice after 8pm.
Saturday 21 - No food and living in ‘slum-like’ conditions
(outside in a tent, no mattress, no electricity, 1 blanket).
Sunday 22 - No sight and no food all day.
Tom
Youth Ambassador for New South Wales
Visit his Blog hereDonate to Tom via his Online Fundraising Page here
Motivation: The one billion people suffering the Global Food Crisis are hungry for change, so I'm going to go hungry for change too!Giving up: food
Jasmine
Youth Ambassador for Queensland
Visit her Blog here
Donate to Jas via her Online Fundraising Page hereMotivation: To raise the much needed funds to help all those affected in poverty all around the world, but in particular help the people in Nepal. Giving up: Food and Shopping (i'm also game to give up anything my sponsors would like me to!) Over the Famine weekend, I'll be...
Visting Bayside State College (who are holding a huge sleepover event) on Friday afternoon, then off to the Fuel Youth Group that are joining with Kenmore High to put on a night of fun, games, last supper and then camp out.
On Saturday I'm hoping to visit some more groups.
There is a youth group in Victoria Point who are 'going wild' for the weekend, and making their own shelters out of the environment around them and walking to collect and carry water. It will be tough, but i think the group will get alot out of it!
On Sunday I'm speaking at a combined Church event.
Four to five Churches in Brisabne have joined together to organise a huge 40 Hour Famine picnic.
I think I get a 10-15 min spot to speak at that.
~ It will be a fun weekend! I'll let you know how it all goes.
Hamish
Youth Ambassador for Victoria
Visit his Blog here
Donate to Hamish via his Online Fundraising Page here
Motivation: To help all the people I met in Nepal.
Giving up: shoes, food, talking Over the Famine weekend, I'll be...
Personally, I’m gonna be kicking off famine weekend on the Friday night at the V-Gen Victoria Famine Launch party. On Saturday, I’ll be chilling at home in the morning, then heading to speak at some churches involved in The Ballarat Project.
On Sunday, I'll be back in Melbourne to prepare some monstrous feast at noon!
Georgia
Youth Ambassador for South Australia
Visit her Blog here
Donate to Georgia via her Online Fundraising Page here
Motivation: Do something real and make change for people living in extreme poverty
Giving up: food, technology and furniture
Matt Darvas
World Vision Volunteer & Star of our “What If” & “Connecting church & the community” videos
Donate to Matt via his Online Fundraising Page hereMotivation / Giving up:“I’m giving up food and warmth. When I was in Jumla, each night I returned to our accommodation, which was by no means flash (think giant rats jumping on one World Vision staff members face) but at least had hot meals and warm blankets. Each day when I went out into the villages, I was told how cold it was in the night. It often reaches minus 15 degrees and many of the children I saw had no shoes and single layers of clothing. They would lie sometimes on the floor with only one blanket and have to try and sleep, often on an empty stomach.”
“During the 40 Hr Famine, which takes place in our winter, I’m not only going to give up food but I’m also only going to wear a t-shirt and shorts while I live outside for the entire time in a tent with no bedding or blankets to keep me warm during the cold nights. I plan on spending the sleepless nights considering what Lalu and Sarita must lay in bed and think about when they can’t sleep because they’re cold and hungry.”