A rugby star, prominent TikTok content creators, singer, actor, teacher and climate activist are just some of the well-known New Zealanders putting their names behind this year’s World Vision 40 Hour Challenge.

Athlete Caleb Clarke, content creators Win Wolf, Judah Metu-Teaukura and Liv Martin, actor Kimberley Crossman, singer/songwriter Paige Tapara, and climate advocate Brianna Fruean are inspiring rangatahi to take on challenges to raise funds for this year’s focus – the climate crisis.

The climate crisis is one of the biggest issues facing humanity, and over the weekend of 21-23 June, thousands of young people around New Zealand will take part in a series of challenges to raise funds for World Vision’s work fighting the impacts of climate change across the Asia-Pacific region.

“I’m stoked to be part of this campaign again,” says rugby player Caleb Clarke. “The World Vision 40 Hour Challenge is really special because it gets New Zealanders on board to help other people around the world in need. I think the coolest thing is giving back to people who are less fortunate than yourself.”

This year the World Vision 40 Hour Challenge is in its 50th year and the campaign’s focus is to partner with communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis to help restore forests – fast.

World Vision 40 Hour Challenge Ambassador, TikTok content creator Win Wolf, travelled to Timor-Leste in December to see the regreening approach World Vision is using in partnership with communities across Asia and the Pacific.

He says the technique, known as Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR), will be a total game-changer for the children of Timor-Leste who have lost 90 percent of their original forests.

“In Timor-Leste, I experienced extreme heavy rain and flooding. Sadly, this is something people in the Asia-Pacific region experience on a regular basis. They are on the frontlines of the climate crisis and face an increase in cyclones, heavy rain, and landslides on a yearly basis,” says Win.

Win says he found hope in the work World Vision is doing to help regreen communities in Timor-Leste.

“The regreening technique is so simple and involves tapping into existing root networks to regrow trees. It’s much faster and more effective than planting new trees!

“I met locals who are seeing the benefits of revived forests to help provide cleaner air, prevent landslides, increase biodiversity, and protect water sources during droughts. They can use the better soil to grow their own produce, and this means they don’t have to walk as far to get fruit and vegetables, freeing up their time for things like education.”

The climate crisis is affecting livelihoods around the world, and World Vision is seeing first-hand the impact of the changing climate on the lives of children. The organisation is helping communities to build resilience through disaster preparedness, planning, and improving food and water security measures. World Vision is also working to increase environment-enhancing development activities such as reforestation, agro-forestry, and conservation farming.

Upon his return to New Zealand, Win collaborated with Caleb, Judah, Liv, Paige, Kim and Brianna in a few climate-friendly challenges to put the spotlight on the World Vision 40 Hour Challenge. In boots gifted by gumboot brand Merry People, they got their green thumbs moving to plant a herb garden before upcycling an item of clothing from an op shop. Some of the items of clothing will be auctioned off on Trade Me in June with funds raised going towards World Vision’s work to help regreen communities.

Climate activist Brianna Fruean is passionate about this year’s World Vision 40 Hour Challenge and hopes young people will take this opportunity to become change agents.

“The climate crisis is the biggest issue in any country that is vulnerable to climate effects. It impacts everything in life – from a huge cyclone that can tear down your home to the coral bleaching, making it hard for your family to get fish to feed the village. It impacts livelihoods in vulnerable communities and it’s something that is happening right now.”

She says the emotional and mental toll of the climate crisis is often overlooked but these factors are having a big impact on youth.

“When we think about the climate crisis, we talk about the physical aspect, but we don't really talk about the emotional and mental health impact on vulnerable people.

“There is a village in Samoa on the Vaisigano River, which is hit with flash floods almost every year. A child who lives there today would have experienced multiple flash floods and cyclones at such a young age – that’s not a natural thing for a child to experience. You can only imagine the state of their mental health and the anxiety they have when they hear raindrops,” she says.

By signing up for the World Vision 40 Hour Challenge they can choose a challenge that is fun, and helps fight the impacts of climate change, such as planting 40 trees in 40 hours, 40 hours in nature, or a 40 hours 4km beach clean-up.

“Join the World Vision 40 Hour Challenge. This can be your moment to begin,” says Brianna.

“The climate crisis is caused by humans, and therefore the solution is humans. We can be the change agents that we need to be to spin this around. For anyone wanting to join this fight the impacts of climate change this is great entry point. It starts with 40 hours, and this could be the beginning of a long movement for you to do something so fulfilling for yourself in the climate movement,” says Brianna.

New Zealand youth are invited to sign up and choose their challenge now at 40hour.org.nz.

ABOUT THE WORLD VISION 40 HOUR CHALLENGE

The World Vision 40 Hour Challenge (formerly known as the World Vision 40 Hour Famine) is New Zealand’s largest youth fundraising campaign and started in 1975. Every year, tens of thousands of young Kiwis take a stand by taking on a 40 Hour Challenge to raise money and bring hope to thousands of children living in poverty in more than 40 countries. So far, more than three million New Zealanders have participated and over $80 million has been raised – helping to transform thousands of lives both here in New Zealand, and around the world. For full details, to sign up or to make a donation, visit 40hour.org.nz. Follow @40hourNZ

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