About the 40 Hour Famine
The 40 Hour Famine is one of Australia’s biggest community awareness and youth fundraising events. It is a powerful – and meaningful – way that Australians can experience what life is like for children who have to go without – Every. Single. Day.
The 40 Hour Famine is a chance to do something real. By giving up food or something else that really matters to you for 40 hours*, you can raise funds for kids living in poverty overseas. And you can make a massive difference. Every $40 you raise can help 6 children for 1 month.^
In 2010, the 40 Hour Famine weekend starts at 8pm on Friday 20 August. It finishes at noon on Sunday 22 August. Of course, if you can’t do it that weekend, you can choose another 40 hour period – just as long as you’ve done it, and collected all your funds, before 30 September 2010.
World Vision and the 40 Hour Famine
World Vision Australia started the 40 Hour Famine in 1975, for the purpose of raising money to help children, their families and communities in desperate need.
35 years on the 40 Hour Famine is bigger than ever. Each year for the last several years, more than 300,000 Australians have taken part.
The funds raised every year by the 40 Hour Famine continue to support World Vision’s work tackling the causes of poverty, through both short term solutions and long term development projects.
The 40 Hour Famine is also World Vision’s community awareness event for young Australians like you!
* If you’re in primary school, it is advised that if you choose to go without food, you do so for no more than 8 hours.
^ This calculation is based on the average cost of addressing the impact of climate change and increasing agricultural production to address the global food crisis in Nepal, childhood malnutrition in Kenya, supplementary food support to families in Cambodia, food security projects in Laos and preventative, rehabilitation and advocacy programs in World Vision Australia’s Child Labour and Trafficking Prevention projects in India. Remaining funds will provide emergency relief around the world to poor countries affected by the Global Food Crisis and other emergencies as they arise.