While many can't fathom going without food for an entire day, each year senior Suni Vyavaharkar participates in Oxfam America's Fast for a World Harvest, a 24-hour fast that raises funds for Oxfam America, an organization that raises awareness and promotes education about poverty-related problems in undeveloped countries.
Because of her strong belief in the cause, Vyavaharkar, an events manager at Oxfam Caf?©, has never found fasting difficult. "It wasn't that bad because I had what I was doing it for in mind," Vyavaharkar said.
This year, the fast will begin at 6 p.m. on Nov. 15 and end at 6 p.m. the next day. Oxfam Caf?© will hold a celebratory break fast for those who participate.
Junior Doug Hansen, an event coordinator, participates in the fast to make a statement against world hunger. "It's my own form of quiet protest against the way we allow [many] people every day to die of hunger. Food and eating is the first justice - the one thing people can't go without is food," he said.
It is not a coincidence that this year's fast will be held on the Thursday before Thanksgiving - a time when most students are gearing up to chow down on the holiday. Around the world, not everyone is so lucky.
Participants in the fast can raise money for Oxfam America in two ways, either by finding sponsors or simply donating money at a flat rate. Sponsor sheets are located in Oxfam Caf?©, as well as information explaining the purpose of the fast.
Oxfam America will use these funds to fight hunger and poverty, utilize global resources more equitably, and improve education and health care for people around the world. Oxfam has been able to reach over 115 countries, with Oxfam America being just one of the 11 Oxfams worldwide that are part of the Oxfam International organization.
Oxfam America says it's "dedicated to creating lasting solutions to global poverty, hunger, and injustice." The organization's initiatives include working for national and international policy change in poor communities and producing educational materials.
The Fast for a World Harvest has been observed since 1972, making it one of the oldest anti-poverty campaigns in the US. Its many participants help millions each year.
According to Oxfam America's website, the Fast for a World Harvest campaign is "a nationwide movement of concerned people taking action against poverty and social injustice in our world."
Oxfam considers this cause important because statistics on hunger and poverty are startling. According to Oxfam, 25 percent of the population - 1.3 billion people worldwide - live on less than one dollar a day. Also according to Oxfam, over 790 million people do not get enough food, with 1.3 million of those being in the US. Oxfam also cites that 24,000 people die each day from hunger and other preventable hunger-related illnesses. Most of those deaths are actually due to chronic malnutrition rather than famine, so Oxfam works to provide people with the necessary foods to survive.
Hansen cites an example of these deplorable health conditions. " The most common cause of death in Africa is diarrhea, which shouldn't be happening in the modern world," he said. "It's preventable, which I think is horrible."
It's a common myth that hunger is due to overpopulation. In fact, Oxfam asserts that there is enough food to feed everyone in the world, but access to resources and education is unequal. The wealthiest countries, which contain 15 percent of the world's population, account for 75 percent of global consumption, according to Oxfam.
Hansen feels that his form of protest gives a voice to others. "That there's enough food in the world and we allow people to die - that's really problematic. There's a lot of stuff that goes on in the world [where people] are silenced," he said.
Both students and faculty have participated in the Fast for a World Harvest in years past. Vyavaharkar estimated that 20 to 30 people have participated in the fast in previous years, although exact numbers cannot be obtained because not everyone attends the official break fast at Oxfam Caf?©. Additionally, some people choose simply to donate a flat rate rather than trying to find sponsors, making it even more difficult to calculate the number of participants.
"There are a lot of people who donate but don't come to the ending event," Vyavaharkar said.
Vyavaharkar hopes to begin to raise awareness about hunger with an event in Eaton on Nov. 14, prior to the fast. Three speakers will discuss world hunger: a former director of Oxfam America, a representative from Hike for Hope 2001, and a representative from Grass Roots International.
