Scotch College

Stand Up, Speak Out!

Scotch joins the ‘Global Village’ to set a new Guinness World Record

Words: MARK WILLIAMS – STAFF

Wednesday 17 October 2007 was the United Nations Day for the Eradication of Poverty. Only weeks after forming the Zeroseven human sign on the Main Oval, aimed at drawing attention to the UN Millennium Development Goals, the Scotch Senior School again turned its attention towards the world’s most disadvantaged people.

Together with over 43 million participants from 127 countries, they broke the Guinness World Record for the largest number of people to ‘Stand Up Against Poverty’ in 24 hours. School Officer James Garrick read the ‘Stand Up, Speak Out Pledge’ as students and staff rose to their feet in an act of solidarity.

The CEO of World Vision Australia, the Rev Tim Costello, then addressed the boys in his characteristically inspirational manner. He thanked Scotch not only for our ongoing commitment to Kapumfi, but also for raising over $19,000, a third consecutive record amount, for this year’s 40 Hour Famine. Hugh McKenzie (Year 11), Chuan Jun Yeap (Year 12) and Matthew Ng (Year 7) were commended for being the highest Senior School fundraisers. Oscar Kewley and Justin Francis raised the most funds of all the Junior School participants.

The UN Millennium Development Goals are a tangible set of objectives aimed at significantly reducing extreme global poverty by 2015. Scotch College endorses and supports the goals in word and in action. While support for Kapumfi is ongoing, another anti-poverty initiative has been launched.

Global Village is a program run by Habitat for Humanity Australia, an aid organisation that aims to ‘eliminate poverty housing from the face of the earth’. The program offers a hand up, not a hand out, empowering families in impoverished nations to build their own homes. Interest-free loans are granted to make essential building materials affordable. Each participating family is asked to invest ‘sweat equity’ while receiving construction assistance from local experts and foreign volunteers.

Scotch hopes to send teams of senior students to Cambodia and Fiji as part of the Global Village program in 2008. The trips offer students a practical means by which they can support the Make Poverty History campaign, while providing the unique opportunity for immersion in the culture of the families being directly benefited.

Individual participants have been asked to cover the cost of flights, accommodation and food. However, the building materials needed to construct housing will cost in excess of $15,000. Tax deductible donations can be made by contacting the Accounts department at Scotch.

The Millennium Development Goals

• Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
• Achieve universal primary education
• Promote gender equality and empower women
• Reduce child mortality
• Improve maternal health
• Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
• Ensure environmental sustainability
• Develop a global partnership for development GS