Schoolies Charity Challenge

04-May-2010

Press Release - Monday 3 May 2010
For Immediate Release

Schoolies Charity Challenge to Raise Money for SurfAid International

What do Third World health problems and Schoolies have in common? For most school leavers the answer is nothing, but for a handful of high achievers their leaving celebrations will help improve health in a remote region of Indonesia.

The “Schoolies Charity Challenge” is seeking 12 final year students to complete an epic adventure in Indonesia. The seven-day challenge involves climbing the three mountains (including two volcanoes) that surround the West Sumatran town of Bukittinggi. Students will be required to obtain financial sponsorship from various sources before they are accepted to participate in the challenge.

SurfAid malaria clinic. Photo: Bob Barker
Click here for hi-res version

The challenge has been established by a new company called Adventure for Life and they have chosen SurfAid International as the benefitting charity.

SurfAid International is a non-profit, humanitarian organization whose mission is to improve the health, wellbeing and self-reliance of people living in the Mentawai and Nias islands, off Sumatra, where it runs water and sanitation, disaster preparedness and relief, and health programs.

The infant mortality rate (children under five) in the Mentawai Islands is 93 per 1,000 live births – nearly one in 10. In Nias, the rate is 66 deaths per 1,000 births. In industrialized countries, on average there are six deaths for every 1,000 live births.

Preventable diseases such as chest infections, diarrhoea, malnutrition and malaria cause much of the death and suffering, and natural disasters like tsunami and earthquakes add to the volatility of the region.

SurfAid, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, won the World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (WANGO) humanitarian award in 2007 ahead of 49,000 other NGOs.

“Having experienced the great work of SurfAid firsthand, and knowing how prone the region is to natural disaster, this NGO is an obvious choice for this particular program,” Adventure for Life’s owner, Mr Iain Lygo, said.

SurfAid also has a Schools Program in Australia, New Zealand and the USA which aims to develop global citizens using the humanitarian challenges and achievements of SurfAid as an example for action. http://schools.surfaidinternational.org

Education is a big part of SurfAid's malaria program. Photo: Bob Barker
Click here for hi-res version

SurfAid Schools Program Education Director, Milton Brown, said: “School leavers are at an exciting part of their lives and this adventure will provide an opportunity for young people to define themselves as caring future citizens rather than mindless party animals.

“The personal, communal and global experiences that will flow from participation in this program will develop cross-cultural understanding that is essential for the future of our planet,” Mr Brown said.

Mr Lygo believes the program will be popular with a growing number of Year 12 students and their parents.

“Many Year 12 students are looking for more than a boozy beach experience and have widened their horizons. These horizons are geographical, social and ethical,” he said.

“We want to provide a memorable experience for young adults that is less stressful for their parents than the traditional Schoolies party program.”

Adventure for Life’s goal is to run this program as an annual event with the challenge being to break the previous year’s fundraising total.

Anyone interested in participating in the Schoolies Charity Challenge can contact Adventure for Life through their website www.adventureforlife.com.au

For more information please contact:
Iain Lygo
Adventure For Life owner
M: + 61 437 745 874
E: iainlygo@me.com
W: www.adventureforlife.com.au

Kirk Willcox
SurfAid International Communications Director
W: + 61 2 9965 7325
M: + 61 407 063 829
E: kirk@surfaidinternational.org
W: www.surfaidinternational.org

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