Fasting for East Africa & Yemen 2017

"Thirty million people across four countries are severely hungry. (This is over 6x New Zealand's entire population!!) Ten million of them face life-threatening emergency and famine conditions. That’s more people than live in London, about the same as populous Jakarta.

We expect an urgent and bold response to match - most of all by rich and powerful nations. The last famine, in 2011 in Somalia, should have been the very last: inaction there led to the deaths of nearly 260,000 people, half of them children. We can still prevent a recurrence."

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/05/our-world-of-plenty-is-on-the-brink-of-unprecedented-famine

There are millions of civilians caught in between warring parties and having to bear the consequences of war, and also drought, on their lands and lives all this time. It is not their choice to be stuck in this. There are so many millions of people affected. I cannot even mentally comprehend the numbers!

This crisis is truly heartbreaking and upsetting. Just because it is occurring in another continent, it does not mean that the people and human life is any less valuable than us in a developed country?

I cannot imagine what it would be like seeing my own children, family, friends in this scenario. How privileged we are to not be in countries facing these kinds of situations, and how privileged we are that we are able to help financially.

I am committing to at least a 30 day food fast to show how serious this crisis is & in my support for the people of East Africa, North Nigeria and Yemen. Hopefully this little sacrifice on my part will help raise as much funding and awareness as I can as an individual - with YOUR collective support in New Zealand and abroad : )

YOUR CALL TO ACTION:

Please consider sponsoring my fast in support of the people facing this risk of famine and death.

It will not hurt at all to spare some change and miss a few take away coffees or vinos? Or would you consider sponsoring on a per fasting day basis? Or in incremental milestones (10, 20, 30, 40 days?)?

Happy to receive corporate / organisational sponsorships too!

All donations are collected by Givealittle and directed to World Vision and Oxfam. I don't touch a cent!

MY CALL TO ACTION:

Fasting!! It won't be easy as it will be my first fast ever (and I am one that enjoys food!). Details about the fast:

- It will begin on Monday 12 June and last for a minimum of 30 days.

- I'll try to post updates as I go along.

- It's similar to a Ramadan fast: 10 daylight hours of fasting each day. I will eat my breakfast and the next meal after sunset. (By the way, the meals are not going to be massive banquets to "catch up" on less food! They are the normal sized ones)

- During my fasting time, I will only drink water (Muslims have no water during their fast, but I don't think I can manage that!). No beverages, teas, coffees, milk etc. No barley sugar sweets, mints, chewing gum, etc either.

- I would like to fast up to 40 days, but want to be over my Big Hairy Audacious Goal of $80,000 before I will extend past 30 days. It's a crazy goal, but hey, fasting for 40 days is a bit on the crazy side too! How much are others, here in NZ and globally, are willing to sponsor for this?? ; )

FOR THOSE OF YOU WITH FAITH:

I ask that you please pray for the people in these affected countries and for the aid workers and agencies that are doing the best to help them. For hope, endurance, perseverance, strength, clarity to make decisions in times of uncertainty, safety.

For those warring parties and others working with them to find solutions (?): openness, empathy, mercy, better governance.

For the more developed countries who have yet to assist with their fair share financially: France, Italy, Japan. For others to do more, to top up their giving if the crisis worsens.

For better media focus and clarity on the real causes.

FURTHER READING:

I'll post news updates I find through the days, but here are a few...

War, not drought, the cause of famine

http://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21719827-war-not-drought-reason-people-are-starving-famine-menaces-20m-people

NZ commits $3 million to famine relief in Africa and Yemen

http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/politics/nz-commits-3-million-to-famine-relief-in-africa-and-yemen/

Hunger across Africa

https://projects.voanews.com/africa-drought/

[Side Note: This fundraiser was originally going to be part of the World Vision 40 hour Famine 9-11 June. However I contacted them and the 40 Hour Famine campaign money is only being channeled into the Syrian crisis (just as important a cause, so don't forget them either!). They are unable to route 40 Hour Famine fundraising via their website into something different, so I have to run a separate fundraiser.]