Canadian youth changing millions of lives for 37 years
In February 1971, 17-year-old Ruth Roberts and 14 friends staged a “starve-in” in a church basement in Calgary to draw attention to the plight of African children suffering during a continent-wide famine. “We chose to stop eating for a day and a half so we could understand, even in a small way, what those children were experiencing,” recalls Roberts.
The group raised $600 for World Vision to help victims of famine and created a small splash when a local TV station interviewed Roberts. The annual event caught on and soon church youth groups and schools were participating across Canada. In the early 1980s, with World Vision’s support, the 30 Hour Famine became an international fundraiser.
Today—37 years later—more than 100,000 Canadian teens participate annually in the World Vision 30 Hour Famine through their schools and churches. In 2007 alone, Canadian youth raised more than $4.5 million. The 30 Hour Famine is now held in 15 countries including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States.
As a World Vision supporter and trailblazer, Roberts often speaks publicly on behalf of the organization. When her own three children were teens, they all participated in the World Vision 30 Hour Famine, as did Roberts herself a few years ago.
By going without solid food and consuming only water and juice, World Vision 30 Hour Famine participants experience what millions of children face every day. The students increase awareness in their schools, churches and communities about conditions in developing countries, while raising funds for programs that tackle the root causes of poverty.
Over the last three decades, youth across Canada have found many creative and wacky ways to pass the hungry hours, ranging from parades and dances, to movie-marathons and guest speakers. One Mississauga school even had a helicopter deliver food to end their fasting.
“The students recognize that poverty is an important issue,” says Toronto teacher and World Vision 30 Hour Famine organizer Diana Blake of York Memorial Collegiate Institute. “These students may be the same people who, as adults, get involved in international affairs or sponsor a child in a developing country.”
Sarah Hutchison is one of those students. In 1998, she organized the first World Vision 30 Hour Famine at her high school in Belleville, Ontario and they raised more than $7,000. As a 30 Hour Famine leader, World Vision invited Hutchison to travel to Malawi, Africa.
“The Famine really ignited a fire in me,” says Hutchison. “On my trip to Malawi, I gained such respect for World Vision’s work. I saw for myself how the money raised through the Famine is used in so many ways.” The experience changed Hutchison’s career direction. She went on to study international development at university and later worked as a global education coordinator with World Vision.
According to the Statistics Canada, Canada Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating, 2004, 65 per cent of young people between the ages of 15 and 19 agreed that exploring their own strengths was one of their reasons for volunteering. Many provincial ministries of education now include volunteer hours as a requirement for high school graduation. Most provinces credit students with 10 volunteer hours when they do the World Vision 30 Hour Famine – and even more if they are event organizers.
The World Vision 30 Hour Famine funds community development projects that tackle some of the root causes of poverty, including the lack of access to nutritious food and clean water, and HIV and AIDS.
Funds raised in Canada for the 2007 event have already helped more than 300,000 people in various developing countries including a child rights project in Northern Sudan; humanitarian and emergency aid in Uganda; HIV and AIDS and TB workshops in India; a water project in Mali; nutrition and food security in Tanzania; and education in the Dominican Republic.
Like Hutchison, student Taslim Alani is convinced about the power of one. “You have to believe that one person can make a difference. I know it’s easy to say that one person doing the World Vision 30 Hour Famine isn’t really going to change anything, but if everyone said that nothing would happen.”
Ruth Roberts is proof that one person can make a difference. Thirty-seven years ago, her small band of activists decided to tackle world poverty. Thanks to their efforts, and those who followed them, millions of people in developing countries have clean water, nutritious food, medical care, education and improved quality of life.
“It’s the most important thing I’ve done in my life,” reflects Roberts. “It was such a simple idea—to see what it was like to go hungry. But look what it’s done. It’s just amazing.”
This year, the World Vision 30 Hour Famine will be held on April 11 and 12, 2008 and hopes to raise $5 million. For more information visit Famine.ca or call 1-888-8FAMINE.
