40 Hour Famine sets a record for participation

40 Hour Famine sets a record for participation

- More than 120,000 young Kiwis stand up to fight poverty
- 50 schools invited to send students to Annual Leadership week in Auckland and Wellington
- 2008 Famine total exceeds $2.2 million and still climbing

The 33rd World Vision 40 Hour Famine, May 23 25, 2008, brought out the best in more than 120,000 young New Zealanders determined to stand up for the rights of others.

Kiwis went without food in empathy for those living on less than $2 a day. Kiwis went without their electronic games to remember those children who have no time to play as they fetch water, work in fields or nurse parents dying of AIDS. Some Kiwis even went silent for 40 hours to stand with those denied free speech in countries under the thumb of bleak dictatorships.

"The main aim of the 40 Hour Famine is to raise awareness among New Zealand youth of the desperate situation for so many children overseas, and to instil a desire to help those children lead a life filled with hope", says Lisa Cescon, CEO of World Vision New Zealand. "Thousands of Kiwis up and down the country (students, youth groups and professional groups) pull together for one weekend to talk about poverty and to do something about it.

More than $2.2 million raised so far

"It's extraordinary that even in a recession when family budgets are tight, Kiwis reached deep into their pockets and acknowledged the worse plight of others in places they'll probably never, ever go. New Zealand generosity knows no bounds, and this year more than 120,000 people have raised $ 2,214,000 and we're still counting. This will help make a huge difference in World Vision projects in Malawi, Honduras, Cambodia, India, Bangladesh and Vanuatu to name a few", says Ms Cescon.

Myanmar will also benefit from this year's Famine success, to the tune of $50,000. World Vision was one of only three international agencies allowed to respond when Cyclone Nargis struck in May and was able to get a relief effort underway almost immediately.

50 schools win right to send students to annual Scholarship Weeks

The satisfaction of a job well done is also one of the rewards for taking part in the Famine; 50 student participants who produced outstanding results will take part in the 40 Hour Famine Scholarship programme supported by Just Juice and Sanitarium (20 Just Juice Junior Scholars from Intermediate schools, and 30 Sanitarium Senior Scholars from Secondary schools. A list of nominees is attached). The Scholarship programme allows these students to meet and hear from inspiring New Zealanders, to learn about their place in the world and to challenge and develop their own leadership. In addition, five exceptional individuals will be chosen from among the Sanitarium Senior Scholars to travel to a World Vision project in Bangladesh in January 2009, to see development work in action - a life-changing experience.

Over the 33 years of New Zealand's World Vision 40 Hour Famine, about 2.6 million Kiwis have raised more than $59 million for development projects around the world. At least 75 per cent on average of all funds raised through Famine go directly to World Vision projects, bypassing governments and targeting local needs-based initiatives. This year, $100,000 from funds raised through the Famine will be targeted specifically to food security programmes in recognition of the growing global food crisis.

Schools nominated for Junior and Senior* Scholarships are as follows:

Senior Scholarship Winners

Sanitarium Senior Scholarship Week takes place in Wellington from 5 to 10 October, 2008

Aquinas College Tauranga
Bethlehem College Tauranga
Christian Renewal School Whakatane
Corran School Auckland
Elim Christian College Auckland
Gore High School Gore
Greymouth High School Greymouth
Hamilton Boys High School Hamilton
Kaikohe Christian School Kaikohe
Kamo High School Kamo
Kingsway School Orewa
Kuranui College Greytown
Lindisfarne College Hastings
Longburn Adventist College Longburn
Macleans College Auckland
Mahurangi College Northland
Marlborough Boys College Blenheim
Middleton Grange Christchurch
Mt Albert Grammar School Auckland
Palmerston North Girls High School Palmerston North
Rangiora High School Rangiora
Saint Kentigern College Auckland
Southland Boys High School Invercargill
St Oran's College Lower Hutt
Trident High School Whakatane
Wakatipu High School Queenstown
Wellington College Wellington
Wellington East Girls College Wellington
Westlake Boys High School Auckland
Westlake Girls High School Auckland

Junior Scholarship Winners

Just Juice Junior Scholarship Week takes place in Auckland 29 September to October 3, 2008

Bucklands Beach Intermediate Auckland
Churchill Park School Auckland
Dilworth School Junior Campus Auckland
Farm Cove Intermediate Auckland
Heaton Normal Intermediate Christchurch
Hillview Christian School Christchurch
Hutt Intermediate School Lower Hutt
Kamo Intermediate School Kamo
Kristin School Auckland
Liberton Christian School Dunedin
Matamata Intermediate Matamata
Northcross Intermediate Auckland
Palmerston North Intermediate Palmerston North
Ponsonby Intermediate Auckland
Richmond View School Blenheim
Saint Kentigern College (Int) Auckland
Southwell School Hamilton
St George's Preparatory School Wanganui
Saint Kentigern Primary School Auckland
Timaru Christian School Timaru

*Travelling scholars are selected from the Senior Scholarship winners

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