Stay on your couch and help the hill people of Vietnam

Reality telly has asked you to vote for almost everything - and now it's for your favourite aid project.

Herbal Healing, an NZAID project based on kiwi expertise, is one of 12 finalists in the BBC World Challenge, up for a prize of US$20,000 and a trip to The Hague, if it wins the on-line vote from viewers.

Sa Pa Essentials in North Vietnam is a 'herbal healing' project modelled on the success of Nelson company Forest Herbs Research, using expertise developed from a horopito farm in Golden Bay.

Forest Herbs produces and markets anti-candida products with a horopito extract, and director Peter Butler said their first step in Vietnam was to look for plants there with potential healing properties.

"We gathered plants the locals had used for centuries and took them to the lab for testing," he says. "The Sa Pa people are now making and selling essential oils from these plants."

Butler said New Zealanders could give the Sa Pa people a hand just by sitting on their couches and watching telly - or even simpler - by voting online.

"We want people to watch the programme on BBC World on Saturday November 10 at 10.30pm or just go to www.theworldchallenge.co.uk right now and vote. It's not a lot to ask - it's a great project and kiwis can really help the Sa Pa people by making them the winners."

The TV programme is screened again on Sunday 11 November at 10.30am and 4.30pm, and on Monday 12 November at 2.30am and 7.30am.

The project was funded through NZAID's Asia Development Assistance Facility.

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