The 30 Hour Famine Camp is a yearly event organized by World Vision Singapore to raise awareness about global hunger and issues affecting the poor and also to provoke youths to be more empathetic, showing lenity to the less fortunate. World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organisation dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. The camp this year will take place on the 5th and 6th of June at the ACS (Barker Road) Campus.

The very first 30 Hour Famine Camp took place 38 years ago in Calgary, Canada. It was initiated by a group of youths who repudiated taking the back seat and believed actions spoke louder than words when they learnt of the famine in Ethiopia. Through their persistent efforts, the famine camp was established and till date, over 1.5 million youths take part in Famine events globally every year.

The event will take place through presentations, role play, simulations and experiential activities which will allow participants to experience, primarily, the hunger and starvation others from less privileged countries experience on a daily basis. This confrontation will expose the actuality of poverty and unjustness which still prevails in the world today, and generate compassion for the victims whose progress in all areas of life have been stunted due to the challenges of poverty, HIV/AIDS and the global food crisis aggravated by the current economic crisis.

During the camp, participants will also meet Theara, an 11-year-old boy orphaned by HIV and AIDS, who will share what it is like to be an HIV-positive child in Cambodia, and the discrimination and stigma he has experienced. He is now advocating against this disease through radio interviews related to HIV/AIDS, where listeners call in and ask questions on the subject matter. Furthermore, to put empathy into concrete action, participants will engage in a fund-raising activity on the 2nd day of Camp, with the proceeds going to the One Life Fund, a bursary set up by World Vision to benefit youth and children in Singapore who are living with HIV/AIDS.

This year, international celebrity and Taiwanese singer A-Mei, will be lending her star power as World Vision Singapore’s Famine Ambassador to draw greater attention to the plight of impoverished communities. Her presence will definitely add a notch of glamour and excitement to the Camp. A-Mei will be participating in various parts of the Camp, with the highlight being a special performance at the Famine Camp Finale Concert, exclusively for campers!

Interested parties can collect the parental consent forms and sign up through the school by contacting Daniel Seoh Yi Jie of 0914 at 93370969 or Liao Yuan Jun of 0937 at 96491556. Register early as places are limited and the deadline for the sign up will be the 15th of May 2009!

Written by Liao Yuan Jun