We had four students attend the World Vision Youth Conference. The focus this year was the “one drop more foundation” which provides safe water for people all over the world. Every day, 2,000 children under the age of five die due to not having access to safe water. Before this conference, I had never thought twice about if I could drink water safely or even have a shower, but millions of kids do not have that same luxury.
The hosts, Matt and Rach Renata, were amazing. Their passion for what they were talking about and the change that they wanted was clear. Every person in the room could feel how much they were working towards a better future. They discussed in depth the effect water availability has on people. They showed us videos of real people who suffer first hand with this issue and people they have helped. Seeing real children, younger than us, suffering things we had never imagined really opened our eyes. The speakers knew exactly how to present their issue in a way that made all of us understand. They engaged us and made us want to fight for more, and they gave us a way to fight. They discussed how to fund raise events successfully.
There were two guest speakers, Vira Paky and Aigagalefili Fepulea’i-Tapua’i. Aigagalefili was from Samoa an island which is sinking and Vira is a refugee. She came to New Zealand with her mother and sister when she was young, seeking refuge from the Rwandan Genocide.
The final event of the day was the workshop in which they explained how to run our school events, set a goal, engage, mobilise, and hype. They talked about the 40 hour famine, and after this I can confidently say that all in attendance will stop and consider how they can put this information to use.
Isabel McLean
Social Action Prefect
