Shout out to the fantastic schools that I visited this week:
Swan Christian College - what an amazing school, with dedicated teachers and students working to see an end to the poverty in our world. How amazing to see you have already set up your online Famine group not even 24 hours after we visited you! See you again on Thursday the 5th.

Willeton Primary School. It was so much fun running the Kenya Survivor Simulation with you guys. And meeting your huge rabbit! Thanks Mrs Tindale and other teachers for your support.

Also to Yr 6's, Yr 9's and Yr 10's at Quinns Baptist College. It was so great to see so many sign ups on Wednesday. There will be another opportunity soon!

Servite College, where we spoke about careers in World Vision. Thanks for this great opportunity to share with you about our awesome jobs!
 

Well, we're now in the month of August and only weeks away from the 40 Hour Famine weekend...

Only weeks away from the opportunity to help change thousands of lives.
Now is the best time to be asking your family and friends for donations.
 
But if you are anything like me, asking for money donations is embarrassing and takes much courage.

What helps me is knowing that I'm not doing it for me, I'm doing it for the 1 billion people living in poverty right now. I am their voice!
Be encouraged to know that every amount raised does make a difference, even loose change.

Do you know that Basmati, a 17 year old domestic labourer in Nepal, works for $2 a month. And Padam, a father of 5, works hard in a neighbour's field for $0.75 a day.  And every $40 raised can feed 6 children for a month (think about it - $40 in Australia would buy only one meal for a family)
 
The 40 Hour Famine is important - it is literally saving people's lives by pulling them and their community out of desperate poverty.
 

So, here are some fundraising ideas to help you raise money and save lives:

• Asking your family and friends for donations.
  I've found that people want to help those living in poverty but don't know how to go about it... until you ask for a donation, and there lies a great opportunity for them to help. This is how I have previously raised money and awareness. Mention your target, and why you want to raise that much.
• Invite your friends over to share a meal with you, and let them know that you will be asking for a donation on the night.
  Maybe share a story of children living in desperate poverty with them (check out the videos of Lalu, Sarita and Sami for some inspiration). My friend recently had a Woodfire Pizza Night and pre-told us that there would be opportunity to donate to helping eradicate poverty on our world. It was a great night, and she raised over $200!
• Set up your online Famine Page. 
  Most people now do online banking, and so by giving them this option is easy and convienient. This method so simple to do, and even simpler to ask people for a donation - just post the URL (for example, mine is http://40hf.com/jessamytaylor  ) and perhaps a story about what you're giving up on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, in emails etc. I heard a story of a girl who asked her Dad to email his work friends and ask them to donate to her 40 Hour Famine page. At the end of the day her total had increased by a massive $800!
• For loads of other ideas, check out our Fundraising Ideas page

I challenge you to go without something very important to you.
Your family and friends will understand the sacrifice that you are making, and cause them to understand just how devasting this Global Food Crisis is, for you to be giving up the important thing in your life.
 

This year I'm getting a taste of what it's like to go without most things:

Awards

Also, don't forget to check out the awesome awards that you will recieve if you raise over certain amount! I would encourage everyone to aim for $200, so that you can apply to be a 2011 Youth Ambassador. Visit the Awards page here