Ōhaupō students go without to support Sudanese refugees

Ōhaupō School students went without food, a bed and technology for last week's 40 Hour Famine.

Ōhaupō School students went without food, a bed and technology for last week's 40 Hour Famine.

This year the famine supports the child refugees of South Sudan.

The Ōhaupō students chose what to go without based on what a child in Sudan might live without.

Throughout the day the students learnt about the living conditions of the child refugees. They each made a tippy tap using minimal resources.

Bianca Winstanley-Mounsey was one of 33 children from the school taking part.

She went without food for 24 hours and predicted it was going to be hard because food was her favourite thing.

Bianca decided to take part in the famine after watching a World Vision film of the refugee children in Sudan.

"The reason I'm doing it is because that film showed me that I would hate to be in that war and a lot of them have lost their parents," Bianca says. "I would hate to lose my parents."

The students were divided into refugee foster family groups and were given one blanket, rations, water and barley sugar lollies.

Other students went without food too, but some also went without talking, sitting, technology or furniture.

The group started the famine on Thursday, June 7. Those going without food would not be allowed to eat for 24 hours and those doing other things would have to go without for 40 hours.

The following day the children took part in a refugee camp activity set up in the hall by teacher Michelle Holloway-Smith.

They also made basic water filtration systems and were challenged to turn murky water into clean water.

The students were divided into refugee foster family groups and were given one blanket, rations, water and barley sugar lollies.

Throughout the day the students learnt about the living conditions of the child refugees by taking part in challenges and recreating tools to survive.

They each made a tippy tap using minimal resources.

Tippy taps are used in refugee camps to ensure people can wash their hands and reduce the spread of disease and infections.

They also made basic water filtration systems and were challenged to turn murky water into clean water.

Michelle says the children changed their ideas about what it means to be privileged.

"The students used to think privilege was owning a Playstation or going to McDonald's," Michelle says.

"By the end of the day they described privilege as having food, clean water, living in a peaceful country with no war and having a family."

The students have been raising money to help the children in Sudan.

They hope to raise $1000 after hosting a school disco.

Some of the children have also been door knocking and fundraising at sports games.