Attending the World Vision Youth Conference on 5 May, was an eye-opening experience for students from the Interact Council as well as for students from across Auckland. Students from diverse backgrounds came together and were confronted with the realities of living in developing countries where there is a lack of clean water, shelter, food security, and educational resources for young people.
We witnessed powerful presentations from the World Vision Ambassadors and journalist, Mike McRoberts, who shared with us their humanitarian work. Our team, and all the young people at the event, were moved by the stories of these underdeveloped countries in need of support and left with a deeper understanding of what it means to be a global citizen.
The Solomon Islands grapple with the Pacific’s biggest humanitarian issues. Access to clean water remains unreliable for many rural communities, with children often needing to walk long distances to collect safe, drinkable water. Education, too, remains out of reach for many children. School fees have climbed from a dollar a day to five dollars a day, which, on average, is 25% of a family’s weekly wage. This becomes a struggle that most families in the Solomon Islands cannot keep up with, as they sometimes rely on their own children to contribute to household income. This often pushes them into a cycle of poverty and hardship, which is difficult to escape.
The conference didn’t just inform us but called on the next generation to act and advocate in the global mission of helping underprivileged communities through World Vision initiatives like the 40 Hour Challenge.
Jared Boyter – Year 13
