40 HOUR FAMINE

I will be completing the 40 Hour Famine again this year. This will be my fifth and final year of participating. I began in 1998 at the age of ten, and ever since have enjoyed the opportunity to raise money and challenge myself for this cause.

So, for my final year, I have decided to ask you, the members of DeviantArt, to support me and donate to this great cause.


What is the 40 Hour Famine?

The website: [link]

The 40 Hour Famine is a community education and fundraising initiative of World Vision Australia.

Essentially, young people (under 25) give up something (eg. food, technology, furniture, etc) for 40 hours in order to learn/experience how others in the world live and raise money to help children and families in other countries.

The Famine officially runs from 8pm on Friday 17 to noon on Sunday 19 August 2007.

_{The 40 Hour Famine is an Australian charity fundraiser.}


My 40 Hours

Currently, it will be Wednesday 15th August (8pm) to Friday 17th (12pm).

However this may change due to circumstances.


What will I be giving up?

Each year I have given up food for 40 hours, despite all the temptations.

This year, as it will be my last, I wanted to do something different.

This poll will help me decide what I should give up this year: [link]
Options are: no food, no talking, no technology, no furniture, no dA.

I will do whatever is voted unless the current circumstances of my 40 hours prevents it. You may also help me set particular rules.


How can you help?

Donation incentives

I would really appreciate it if anyone would volunteer to provide incentives (stock, sketches, avatars, etc). So once someone donates they may receive something in return.


Donate


How to Donate


1. Online via Credit Card

To donate, go to the Donate Now section of the website: [link]

Select:
I want to make a donation to a 40 Hour Famine participant
Please enter their Famine Book Number or their Individual Famine Number:

Enter MY Number

670923630


This makes sure that the donation is recorded against me and that I'm sent a record of your donation.

You will receive a receipt.

All donations over $2 are tax deductible for Australians. (Receipt must be kept.) I do not know if this applies to any other country.


If you are not an Australian citizen:

You will need to enter an Australian address.

Enter this:

1 Vision Drive
Burwood East
Victoria 3151

It is the National Office for World Vision's address, which is the safest and most appropriate address I can give.

All donations will be in Australian Dollars.


2. Paypal

I will accept Paypal donations.

If you would like to donate this way, please let me know.

You will not receive a receipt by this method.


3. Other

If you would like to donate money another way (cheque, money order, etc), please let me know so I can organise something.

You will not receive a receipt by this method unless you are an Australian citizen. In which case, I will mail your receipt to you.



What would your donations go towards?

Full information here: [link]

Here's just a smart part from their website:


"The funds you raise in Famine 2007 will help feed and care for hungry kids in Laos. They’ll also assist World Vision’s work in East Timor, southern Africa and with families in emergencies around the world.

Laos

Laos is one of the world’s poorest countries with half the population living below the poverty line.

One the world’s few remaining communist states, Laos is home to 6 million people, most who live in rural villages without access to basic facilities like clean water, healthcare, education and electricity.

Most families try to make a living from farming, but struggle to feed their kids. The land is rugged and the soil is littered with landmines and unexploded bombs left over from the war in neighbouring Vietnam.

Forty percent of all Lao kids under five are malnourished and half the population doesn’t have access to safe drinking water.

One in three people in Laos lives on less than $2.50 a day and education levels are among the lowest in East Asia. Only five percent of Lao children complete high school.

Your Famine funds will help World Vision:

* Teach communities new farming methods to make the land more productive and viable in the long term.

* Introduce modern tools and develop new varieties of seeds and animal breeding that will mean families can have a balanced diet all year round.

* Build dams to channel clean water through canals and pumps for irrigation, drinking and washing.

* Teach families how to prepare nutritious and hygienic foods so that children are protected from disease.

Over $5 million has been raised by 40 Hour Famine 2006. These funds are continuing to help feed and care for hungry kids in East Timor and assist World Vision’s work in Africa and families affected by emergencies.

Over the past year, Famine funds enabled World Vision to dig four new boreholes in a rural community in Zambia. In neighbouring Tanzania, World Vision was also able to provide supplementary food, worm treatments and vitamin supplements for malnourished kids."


Please help me raise money for this cause as I give up something for 40 hours.

Thank you!