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World Vision involves children in 30-Hour Famine drive

World Vision Taiwan will for the first time actively involve children in this year's 30-Hour Famine drive.

The event's organizers said yesterday that children have always been a part of the 30-Hour Famine, because of parent participation, but this year marks the first formally organized effort to incorporate children.

The famine drive is an international event hosted by World Vision. On the day of the event, which is in its 15th year, participants will go without food for 30 hours to get an idea of what hunger is like. During their fast, participants will engage in various activities to learn about hunger around the world.

The organizers yesterday issued a call for participants in this year's event, asking the public to give their support through donations or attendance.

The organization is hoping 7,000 adults and 2,000 children will participate in this year's camp, which will be held on Aug. 14 and Aug. 15 at National Taiwan University's gymnasium. According to World Vision representatives, only 3,500 adults and 150 children have signed up so far.

"Through the 30-Hour Famine, we hope that the Taiwanese public can understand the position of the needy. Donations from this event will help give the hungry across the world shelter, medicine, education, skills training and hope for the future," Hank Du (杜明翰), executive director of World Vision, said.

World Vision Taiwan is recruiting students from third to sixth grades for its camp next month.

Chuang Yueh-chiao (莊月嬌), a mother of three who has participated in two previous hunger drives, said that the children's camp was a good way to teach children the meaning of hunger.

"In Taiwan today, everyone is very prosperous. Parents are finding it hard to explain to children the meaning of happiness and contentment because today's kids have never experienced hardship. The children's camp this year is an opportunity to give kids a life lesson about appreciating what you've got," said Chuang, a teacher at Keelung Municipal Chungher Elementary School.

She said that when she heard about the camp, she immediately signed up her children and husband to join the August experience.

For more information or to re-gister, go to www.worldvision.org.tw or call (02) 2585-6300.
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