Report by Mandy Loh, World Vision Singapore
Photos by Zeng Liwei, Sebastz Cia, Grace Cheong, Louis Kwok, Colin Ho and Cyril Montinola
The collective voices of more than 1,000 enthusiastic campers reached the maximum registers of the decibel meter, triggering a burst of confetti to herald the start of World Vision Singapore’s 30 HOUR FAMINE Camp 2009. Almost immediately, wails of an emergency siren shattered the celebratory mood, plunging campers immediately into an unfamiliar world of chaos, poverty and struggle.
This was the dramatic introduction to a life-transforming weekend where youths in Singapore, aged between 15-18 years old, momentarily left behind their lives of relative comfort to walk in the shoes of the impoverished and needy.
The 30 HOUR FAMINE is World Vision’s annual flagship event where over one million young people around the world take a stand of solidarity against global hunger and issues affecting the poor. More than 1,000 youths participated in the 30 HOUR FAMINE Camp in Singapore this year.
Held at Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) from June 5-6, 2009, World Vision was honoured to have Ms Denise Phua, Member of Parliament for Jalan Besar GRC, as the Guest of Honour to officiate the Opening Ceremony.
We were also very blessed and privileged to have international celebrity and popular Taiwanese singer, A-Mei (Chang Hui Mei), lend her star power to the cause as World Vision Singapore’s 30 HOUR FAMINE Ambassador!
Rather than bringing the 30 HOUR FAMINE participants to the field, we brought the field to them.
Campers were completely immersed in a simulated environment that reflected the harsh daily realities faced by people living in impoverished communities in countries such as Myanmar, Cambodia, and Ethiopia.
Each camper was given a new identity as a child, adult or grandparent, and belonged to a “family”, where they had to work together as a team to survive. They were forced to make tough decisions and faced consequences that highlighted the complexities of the poverty trap.
Volunteer Camp Facilitator, Erna Arif from Fitness First Singapore, shared her thoughts about the camp: "It was a stimulating experience without actually having to be in the field. I can now feel how children born into poverty try to survive and their daily struggles just to be able to stay alive."
In addition to undergoing intense experiential activities, campers had an opportunity to meet people facing tough challenges in life.
Our special guest speakers, 13-year-old Cambodian boy, ‘Ra’ and his 8-year-old brother, ‘Rith’, charmed the campers with their warmth and innocence.
Orphaned by AIDS, both Ra and Rith are also HIV-positive. It was a great inspiration and encouragement to all, that despite the discrimination and hardship these young boys had faced, they continue to live with hope and joy.
Haidy Ear-Dupuy, Advocacy & Communications Manager for World Vision Cambodia also shared her personal story of being a former child refugee of the Vietnam War, and her work in helping street children in Cambodia.
Click here to read more about lives of Ra, Rith and Haidy
By the second day of camp, campers were brimming with empathy. Their passion to make a difference was channelled into tangible ACTION, as they participated in a community involvement project to collect old clothes and newspapers.
Proceeds raised from the sale of recyclable items were channelled to the ONE LIFE FUND, an educational bursary set up by World Vision Singapore to provide financial support for children and youth in Singapore affected by HIV/AIDS.
Finally, after 29 hours of activities, reflection, hard labour and fasting, campers were treated to a special 30 HOUR FAMINE Camp finale concert in the final hour held at Downtown East D’Marquee.
With performances by Jack and Rai from EIC, World Vision Goodwill Ambassadors, and NTU MJ Dancers, the highlight of the evening was of course, the 30 HOUR FAMINE Ambassador A-Mei, who won the hearts of the audience with her lively banter, amazing voice, and great stage presence.
As campers tucked into their break fast meal and congratulated each other on their personal triumph of successfully fasting for 30 hours, one thing remained clear i n their minds. The physical hunger may be over, but their hunger to make a difference, and their awakened compassion for the poor, would stay with them for a lifetime.
Highlights of the 30 HOUR FAMINE Camp 2009:
- Camp photos
- A-Mei’s ambassadorship
- New media
- Winning cheer by “Lesotho”
- iDreamin team – volunteering with an artsy perspective!
- Acknowledgements
30 HOUR FAMINE Camp 2009 Photo Slideshow
Day 1: Camp Facilitators’ Briefing
Day 1: Opening Ceremony
Day 1: Simulation / Experiential Activities – part 1
Day 1: Simulation / Experiential Activities – part 2
Day 1: Reflection & Candlelight Memorial
Day 2: Newspaper Collection
Day 2: Finale Concert
World Vision Singapore’s 30 HOUR FAMINE Ambassador, A-Mei shared about her recent trip to Mewat, India where she visited several villages and slums to better understand the crippling conditions the poor face on a daily basis.
”Seeing them laugh along with me was a powerful reminder that there's a mixture of both happiness and sadness in these places we visit,” she said. “I've learnt that life is precious and I really hope that we can bring all this research back to come up with solutions to improve their living conditions. Too often we talk extensively about what we can do. We must act upon our thoughts and realise these plans. Hopefully, I can put whatever influence I have to good use,' she said. 'I hope I can move people to act on these problems as best as they can.'
Click here to read more about A-Mei’s ambassadorship with World Vision Singapore
For the first time in World Vision Singapore, social media was introduced to actively engage the youth as campers were each given their own 30 HOUR FAMINE web page. They were encouraged to update their thoughts and feelings during camp on their webpage via sms, and were thus able to bring their family and friends along with them on their experiential learning journey.
Jiawen, a camper from Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) reflected on his page: “It's my first time at the famine and i loved every second of it. The experience wasn't exactly like how people living in poverty would be, ‘cause we could look forward to our games and drinks. We knew how long our hunger was gonna last, but for them there's no light at the end of the tunnel. This camp inspired me to go for what i really want to do in the future - i want to help those people and give them hope.”
Not only were campers able to share their unique journey with their friends and family, they were able to use their personalised webpages as a vehicle to raise support for impoverished children around the world as well.
At the 30 HOUR FAMINE Camp 2009, more than 1,000 campers went hungry, in hopes that children trapped in poverty would not need to. Show you care as well, by supporting their efforts through online pledging.
We are hungry, but we like it
We are tired, we wun fake it
For the children, WE WILL MAKE IT!
I can, I will - Make a difference!
Lesotho Lesotho Lesotho (choopchoop!)
aiya! TOO HUNGRY!” |
Country group Lesotho, who won the best cheer award for the 30 HOUR FAMINE Camp 2009.
Can you? Will you? Make a difference? |
The iDreamin Team, which comprises of seven young and passionate people, volunteered as the official video crew for this year’s World Vision’s 30 HOUR FAMINE Camp. As driven as they are in their individual creative pursuits for the arts, the iDreamin Team couldn’t resist the challenge of fasting and filming the entire camp, having just wrapped up the design work for the camp’s official t-shirt. Here are some of their thoughts after the camp.
From the start of the camp, the iDreamin Team embraced all details like any other commercial film projects they had undertaken previously, by recording bits and pieces of the camp activities that ranged from setting up of the locations; volunteers’ briefing sessions; Taiwanese songbird, A-Mei’s support as World Vision Singapore’s 30 HOUR FAMINE Ambassador; to the various simulations of global poverty.
Gwen Sin, the Chief Executive Producer behind this entire coverage said, “Logistically, we were very lean and stretched as a team. Many of us doubled up as camera operators / producers / video editor throughout this entire camp. But we shared the same goals as World Vision – we are constantly hoping to inspire more youths to participate in community service projects like this. When we attune our minds to this common objective, everything and everyone falls into one piece somehow!”
Being the first experience for all the iDreamin Team members in this camp also opened up a whole new world of wonderful impressions they had of World Vision.
Emmy Teo, the 2nd Executive Producer commented, “I am really impressed by how the camp activities were carried out. It was a great collective pool of efforts by the World Vision staff and volunteers, not forgetting the awesome participation of the campers! Though the campers were hungry and tired by the end of the Day 1, the activities and experiences of famine and hunger left them spiritually satisfied, after interviewing some of them for the video. “
One of the key camera operators, Glenn Wong also added, “There are more participants and volunteers than I expected. Some of them were also as young as 15 to 18. It was really a pleasant surprise to see youths participating so enthusiastically for good causes.”
Assistant Producer Rena Koh said, “I find it interesting as it was rather different from what I have expected. I didn’t expect the simulation of different refugees’ situations to be carried out and I’m pleasantly surprised by the way it has been carried out. I’m quite moved by the active participation of local youths in the event.”
Finally, Faith Teo, the Team’s Welfare Manager in this project, had this to conclude, “I’m really moved by the campers’ efforts in all activities. For instance, the camaraderie and teamwork among all the campers were very strong and united during the newspaper collection on Day 2. It was a great idea from World Vision to have a well-balanced range of experiential and workshop-based activities for the young participants!”
With the ambition to build the largest creative media talents database in the world – the iDreamin Team founded iDreamin.com, registered under iDreamin Interactive Media Group Pte Ltd (IIMG) in early 2009 – as an online talent development/management platform for promising artistically talented people to publish their talent, providing undiscovered user generated contents, graphics, music, videos, literature works to the creative mass media industries. More details about this dynamic company are available at www.idreamin.com and www.iimg.com.sg.
We would like to thank the following sponsors and partners who have made the 30 HOUR FAMINE Camp 2009 possible with their generous contributions:
Principal and Staff of Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) for being the venue sponsor and for all the support and assistance provided throughout the lead-up and actual camp;
Plug, for the awesome games and activities, charisma, leadership and patience, and producing wonderful collaterals;
Prodigy, for the amazing Opening Ceremony and Finale Concert;
Tampines West CC Youth Group, for your continued support towards the Recycling Project;
Pastor Neli of Every Nation Church, for the impactful sharing at camp;
EIC (Jack & Rai),for the great performance at the Finale Concert, and for your strong and unwavering support towards World Vision as our Goodwill Ambassadors;
NTU MJ Dancers, for the entertaining dance item at the Finale Concert;
Joab Communications and iDreamin, for the wonderful video coverage of the event;
Photographers Zeng Liwei, Sebastz Cia, Grace Cheong, Louis Kwok, Colin Ho and Cyril Montinola, for your excellent photography throughout the event;
Noelle Tang for designing the look and feel of the 30 HOUR FAMINE;
Fraser and Neave, Ltd. for generously providing 100 Plus energy drinks to sustain our campers through the fast;
May’s Nasi Lemak, for partial sponsorship of the delicious break fast meal;
Tiong Huat Heng, for your continued support in World Vision’s activities, especially in the Recycling Project, and for partially sponsoring the sugared drinks for campers;
Abbott Laboratories (S) Pte Ltd for donating milk powder to Patient Care Centre’s HIV-positive patients in conjunction with 30 HOUR FAMINE Camp 2009;
InterContinental Singapore for your kind hospitality and sponsorship of A-Mei, our Famine Ambassador’s stay in Singapore;
Grand Mercure Roxy Hotel for your kind hospitality and sponsorship of our special guest speakers’ stay;
Country City Investment Pte Ltd and Angel's Share Pte Ltd, for the strong support and sponsorship of A-Mei’s Meet-and-Greet event;
Woodlands Transport Services Pte Ltd, for partial sponsorship of transportation services;
Health Promotion Board for your strong and continued support of World Vision’s HIV/AIDS youth educational programmes;
National Youth Council’s Youth Development Fund for supporting the 30 HOUR FAMINE Camp 2009;
And last but certainly not least, all our Camp Facilitators, Game Masters, Lorry ICs and General Helpers who volunteered their time, sweat and passion to creating a truly fun yet transformational weekend for all our campers!
