The Burmese people have lived through decades of conflict. Hundreds of thousands have fled their homeland for neighbouring Thailand and now live in refugee camps along the Thailand–Burma border. Some have been living in the camps for decades.
You can make a difference. Eat the same rations as a refugee from Burma for one week, and get sponsored to do it. You’ll be sent a parcel with the exact same food rations that a refugee receives in the camps: rice, flour, salt, fish, split peas and oil. The money you raise from living on these rations will help make sure there is enough for the refugees to eat, and show them that after everything they’ve been through, they are not alone.
The Challenge
Taking part in the Act for Peace Ration Challenge is straightforward, fun and rewarding. Best of all you will be making a huge difference to the lives of Burmese refugees – making sure they have enough to eat, and showing them that after all they’ve been through, they are not alone. Just follow these simple steps:
Step 1 - Register online & get sponsored
Getting started couldn’t be simpler. Get a bunch of friends to take part in the challenge with you. Head to the website and set up your personal online fundraising page. Then send the link to all your friends, family and colleagues by email, Facebook and Twitter and ask them, nicely, to sponsor you!
Step 2 - Eat like a refugee
Around a week before the challenge starts, you should receive your ration pack in the post. This parcel will contain all your food for the week of the challenge. These rations are exactly the same as those issued to refugees living in camps on the Thai / Burma border – nothing more, nothing less.
Step 3 - Tell the world and raise $$$
Share , share share! The more people who know about what you’re doing and why you’re doing it, the bigger the difference you’ll make. You'll be committing to raise a minimum of $200, enough to pay for a refugee's food rations for an entire year.
Follow @ActforPeace on Twitter and share, by hashtagging #rationchallenge, how you’re feeling in the run up to the week – nervous? Excited? Ready to rumble?
All you need to know
Downloading the Ration Challenge Toolkit you'll have everything you need to take part, from recipes and fundraising ideas to FAQs and social media tips.
For more resources, visit the Ration Challenge resources page.
Safe & legal
Ration packs provided in the challenge are based on the recommended intakes of a typical population requiring emergency food aid in a developing country as outlined by the World Health Organisation (1995). The daily caloric intake of the ration pack is consistent with the average daily caloric requirements of an average adult as recommended by the National Health and Medical Research Council.
By taking part in the challenge participants fully acknowledge and undertake the risks involved and understand the program is not medically supervised. In taking part, participants hereby waive and release Act for Peace from any and all claims, costs, liability and expense for any injury, whether known, anticipated or unanticipated arising from this voluntary participation.
It is not recommended that participants exceed the one week duration of the challenge. If for whatever reason the participant feels ill during the challenge, they should immediately cease their participation.
It is advised that participants consult a doctor before taking part, especially if they have a medical condition, take regular medication or have been ill recently.
It is not recommended that you dramatically increase your physical activity levels during the challenge. If you exercise regularly in normal circumstances, it is recommended that you reduce your amount of physical exertion during the challenge.
It is recommended that pregnant women and children below the age of 18 do not take part in the challenge as such persons require additional dietary needs that the ration packs do not meet.
Please ensure that you fundraise safely and remember any fundraising event you organise must comply with the relevant Commonwealth, State and Territory legislation and local government regulations.
Act for Peace is the international aid agency of the National Council of Churches in Australia.