World Vision gears up for famine
30 Hour Famine program expects to raise $3.5 million in Canada
By
Kevin Heinrichs
ChristianWeek staff
PHOTOS COURTESY OF
WORLD VISION
More than 725 church
youth groups are signed up to take part in this
year’s 30 Hour Famine. The Canadian program is being
modeled in countries around the world.
MISSISSAUGA, ON–World Vision organizers are setting a lofty goal for this year’s 30 Hour Famine Canadian program–to raise $3.5 million in one weekend, April 9-10.
Last year, 130,000 participants raised $2.65 million for projects in Sudan, Ethiopia, Cambodia, India and Uganda. The numbers show how successful this program has become. Begun in Canada in 1972, the program features high school students and youth groups who lock themselves in churches or schools to go 30 hours with only fruit juice or water.
Before the weekend, they sign up sponsors to donate money to World Vision, which funds a number of relief and development programs worldwide. As part of the weekend, young people are exposed to the issues of global poverty and hunger.
Program manager Glenn Waterman says that teens are more aware of global issues than ever before and want to become involved. "Our focus groups are telling us that teens want to know about the needs, and ‘don’t spare us the hard images,’" he says.
The 30 Hour Famine program has since spread to England, Australia, the U.S., Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan. "Most countries where we have offices are doing the program," says Waterman.
In Canada, more than 725 church youth groups are signed up to take part in this year’s event. While participants include high school classes, student councils and private groups, church youth groups make up the largest percentage of participants in the annual event.
Prize incentive
A relatively new aspect of the program is the introduction of prizes awarded for certain levels of support raised for World Vision. They range from a cap for $55 raised, or for $500 raised, participants receive a cap, clock, travel mug and a chance to win an overseas trip to see World Vision projects. Waterman estimates that 10,000 hats, 1,000 clocks and 250 mugs will be awarded in this year’s program.
If the goal of the program is to raise
awareness for global needs, are prizes really necessary?
"We review that fairly constantly," says
Waterman. Several years ago, the program did not include
prizes, but "we looked at a what a number of other
charities were doing. The prizes raised the amount that
was raised. There was a higher level of funds for the
program."
Waterman says the prize program is not necessarily what motivates teens to get involved. "They’ll get involved because of the program itself. But the prizes give them a goal to shoot for. Our aim is to be responsible as possible and still make the program successful."
This year’s famine will fund programs such as child-headed households in Rwanda, street children in Cambodia and Romania, emergency food in Sudan, child laborers in India and Canadian street kids.