The local Pathfinder girl guides, began their fast that was about to last 30 hours just after noon on Friday, January 10.
By 8:30 pm that night, they were playing basketball, ping pong, and giggling amongst each other in Portage College's gym. Their sleeping bags were lined against the side wall as they were preparing to stay the night and the following day at the school together until the 30 hours were complete.
Why would these Grade 8 and 9 girls decide to not eat for so long? They are raising awareness about how one in nine people in the world are not able to get enough to eat. The 30-hour Famine was created by World Vision, and it is a way to let people experience what it feels like to go without food for an extended period of time. The girls also had to raise money that would go towards impoverished families in the Congo.
The most recent update puts their fundraising tally at more than $1,900, which is enough money to raise more than 30 families though the World Vision program.
“All these girls are change makers,” says Brandy Sehn, their Girl Guides Leader. “Even outside of Girl Guides they are constantly involved in things like the Interact Club and FCSS and the students' union. They are always volunteering and giving back.”
The girls were educated about the struggles that people in other parts of the world face through informative games that taught them how difficult others have it. Once they were better informed, they chose to only have juice every five hours.
“We asked them how much do you want to have? And they picked five hours because they want to feel the hunger, they want to understand what it feels like,” says Sehn.
Most of the girls have known each other since the first day of Sparks when they were just five years old. They have gone through the Girl Guideslevels together, and developed a tight-knit bond along the way.
“What brought these girls together was Girl Guides,” says Pam Onciul, another Girl Guides Leader. “This is how they have become friends, so they are very close.”
The 30 hours ended at 6:30 pm on Saturday night.
