Back in March I was hired to organise a team to walk the City2Surf on 11 August. This was an amazing opportunity to get involved in one of Sydney`s biggest events and I was able to work with some inspirational people who together raised over $10,000 to immunise children in Papua New Guinea!
When I started working on this event, I had never worked in an office before but I quickly found my feet and with a bit of guidance I developed a good plan for promoting the event, supporting walkers and runners to reach their fundraising targets and organising every last detail of the walk.
It wasn`t long until we had over 20 walkers on our team. I kept in contact with everyone as much as I could and I loved hearing about their fundraising successes. These were amazing people, who not only were completing a tough 14km walk but were also spending their spare time asking their friends and family to sponsor them.
Race day arrived and the atmosphere was sensational. I instantly spotted everyone in their bright green ChildFund shirts. We all had mixed feelings of nerves and excitement all at the same time!
At 9.30am we lined up at the start line, waving our PNG flags – a tribute to the children we were supporting. As we progressed the group naturally split up into super-fast, fast-ish and my group, the easy walkers! I walked the course with Ashley and Tracey for most of the event. We were the back of our team but between us we were just checking no one fell behind.
The walk itself was great we got chatting about our experiences as we climbed Heartbreak Hill, I think it`s more appropriately called Heartbreak Mountain. Despite the challenge we met loads of other walkers including a pack of blue smurfs, zombies, Ninja Turtles and of course we had to stop to get a photo with them, any excuse!
I didn`t think 14km was so long but when I saw Bondi Beach I had never felt so relieved. It was amazing to cross the finish line and receive my new City2Surf medal, which takes pride of place in my lounge room! Now between you and me I`m not sure I will put up my hand again to walk this 14km course but I would certainly donate to someone else if they were up for the challenge.
The weather was kind to us (21 degrees) and our team was incredible, interesting, entertaining and energetic. I couldn`t have picked a better group to take on such a challenge. I recommend it to everyone, at least once in their lifetime!
The highlight for me was being part of a team that together raised over $10,000 to immunise children in PNG. Immunisations are something that we take for granted here in Australia but for families in remote communities immunisations can prevent serious illness and even death of babies and toddlers, no one should be denied this basic essential to a healthy childhood.
Thank you to the 34 supporters who walked or ran the City2Surf for ChildFund Australia. You made this dream possible.
Heather Thomas has been working as an Australian Youth Ambassador for Development volunteer with ChildFund PNG for the past two months. She explains what life is like living in Port Moresby, one of the world`s most dangerous capital cities.
˜Welcome to the land of the unexpected…’ This greeting is among the first things Papua New Guineans say when introduced to a fresh face joining the ranks of the large expat community in Port Moresby. While they are usually referring to the unpredictable nature of the country, I am beginning to realise it can also be applied to my experience here so far. Despite the best preparations and advice, both positive and negative, nothing really prepares you for the realities of living and working in a developing nation like Papua New Guinea.
Living in Port Moresby awakens you to the harsh realities of poverty, defined not only by financial disadvantage but exclusion, deprivation and deep vulnerability, from HIV/AIDS, gender-based and sexual violence, and impediments to basic human rights. What is even more heart-breaking is to witness and understand the experience of children who live amongst this vicious cycle.
It was ChildFund`s willingness to understand children`s unique experience of poverty and engage with children and their communities in complex and challenging environments that first captured my interest in their work. ChildFund`s vision is so simple, yet so complex, a world free from poverty, where children are protected and can reach their full potential. What has been most inspiring so far is the energy and passion of the ChildFund team here in PNG who are living this vision and who every day work towards making it a reality for children in Papua New Guinea.
I have no illusions that I understand PNG; it would take a lifetime of immersion to begin to truly understand the vast complexities and character of this country. There are over 800 local languages (tok ples), many cultural traditions and customs that often clash with the modern aspects of PNG, and overt examples of brutal violence.
However, there are also powerful examples of hope and change, and that`s where the ChildFund PNG team enter the story. These men and women have dedicated themselves to improving the lives of Papua New Guinea`s children in often inaccessible and hostile landscapes, doing so with a smile and attitude that strengthens my belief in humanity. Fighting vicious mosquitos, trampling across boggy and unrelenting terrain, performing logistical miracles to get equipment and supplies into remote villages and leaving their own families behind are just a few of the challenges they face working in rural PNG.
When I stepped off the plane in Papua New Guinea for my 12-month volunteer assignment with ChildFund PNG, I had little understanding of what I was getting myself into. Although it wasn`t long before I realised that volunteering in a country where people face daily challenges to access basic services that are taken for granted in Australia broadens your perspective of the world.
After just eight weeks, I am already falling in love with both the people of Papua New Guinea and its chaos, and feel privileged to be working alongside such bright sparks to achieve ChildFund`s vision.
The Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development (AYAD) Program is an Australian Government, AusAID initiative that places young, skilled volunteers for up to 12 months in developing countries in Asia, the Pacific and Africa. The program focuses on achieving sustainable development through capacity building, skills exchange and institutional strengthening.
