My Famine FAQs

Why is the Famine internet-based for Individual Participants?
Why can't I have a Famine Book if I'm an Individual Participant?
I registered to be an Individual Participant but now I want to be a Group Leader. What do I do?
I registered to be a Group Leader and received my pack, but I can't find anyone else wants to do it. What do I do?
I want to take over as my Group's new Leader. Can I do that?
What about the dangers of anorexia?

Why is the Famine internet-based for Individual Participants?

The Famine changed to an online Famine for Individuals to make it easier. You no longer have to carry a book and return it to us after the Famine Weekend. Everything is online – from collecting donations, issuing receipts, and downloading Award application forms.

As an Individual Participant you can now log in to your own online My Famine 'Account' (using the Famine Number and password we supply you). Here you can monitor how your donations are going. You will also receive an automatic email every time you receive a donation and you can see who it's from.

Also, going online for Individuals simply allows World Vision to ensure that the most amount of money as possible goes overseas.

After extensively researching the alternatives, we have found that many people have access to the Internet – even if it is at work, school, university, via friends/family or at the local library – and this is why we have chosen this method.

Why can't I have a Famine Book if I'm an Individual Participant?

Famine Receipt Books contain tax-deductible receipts and as such, the Australian Tax Office requires that Books be sent back to World Vision, whether used or unused by Famine participants. In the past, World Vision used resources to chase up books from Individual Participants that had not been returned and money that had not been banked – and we’d rather use these resources more efficiently.

Famine Books are still available for Famine Group participants, so if you'd prefer to have a Book we encourage you to join or start your own Famine Group with four or more friends. That way you will receive a Group Leader Kit with Famine Receipt Books for each Group Member to collect donations via cash and cheque.

I registered to be an Individual Participant but now I want to be a Group Leader. What do I do?

Sign up as a Group Leader and we'll deactivate your Individual Participant account from here.

I registered to be a Group Leader and received my pack, but I can't find anyone else wants to do it. What do I do?

Send the Famine Receipt Books and pay-in books back to World Vision using the reply paid sticker provided in your kit.

I want to take over as my Group's new Leader. Can I do that?

Yes, but due to privacy we need to speak to the previous Group Leader so that we can change your details. If your Group belongs to a school or church, you should contact your World Vision State Office for assistance. Otherwise, please ask them to contact us or call us on 13 32 40 and we will make the change.

What about the dangers of anorexia?

The World Vision 40 Hour Famine is about raising money to help children who are denied their basic child rights and for participants to get a taste of what life's like for families in poverty. It’s not about losing weight.

We are very concerned that participants do the 40 Hour Famine for the right reasons, so we have strict guidelines to protect participants' health. Primary School children must not go without food more than 8 hours. For more information please see the Famine guidelines [link to 3.9].

If going without food isn't an option, participants can choose to go without something else that really matters to them, like technology or furniture.

The 40 Hour Famine is a community education and fundraising initiative of World Vision Australia.