A Southern Highlands school has topped the national leader board after raising the most money for the Ration Challenge.
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A team of 95 students and teachers from Chevalier College will eat the same rations as a Syrian refugee during Refugee Week, from June 17 to 24.
These rations include 420g of rice, 170g of lentils, 85g of dried chick peas, 125g of tinned sardines, 400g of tinned kidney beans and 300ml of vegetable oil.
The fundraising initiative is called the Ration Challenge, an Act for Peace campaign that was officially launched in schools for the first time this year.
Chevalier College will join hundreds of others across Australia putting themselves in the shoes of a refugee for a week.
The entire Chevalier College has backed the initiative to sponsor the students to take part in the challenge.
The money raised will support Syrian refugees in camps in Jordan and other vulnerable communities who desperately need help with food, medicine and education.
Ration Challenge campaign co-founder Kaz McGrath visited the team at Chevalier College on June 12.
Ms McGrath said it was incredible to see young people take action on the issue.
“Youth make up the largest population of refugees and our youth are standing up for them, responding to the disparity between their own comfortable lives and the extreme hardships facing refugees,” she said.
“We’re seeing young, compassionate, global citizens who are able and willing, helping others in need.”
The educational resources, combined with the transformative experience of the challenge, offers young people a way to learn about global issues, further develop empathy for others and empowers them to make a difference in the world.
Chevalier College Ration Challenge team coordinator Leonie Stone said the college was immensely proud of the efforts of their students and staff, and more so, the wider community.
“Our original target of $4000 was quickly met and surpassed, with funds now at $16,679.64 and rising,” Ms Stone said.
The college has placed first on the national leader board as the highest fundraising school Australia-wide which Ms Stone said was a magnificent effort.
On top of their fundraising efforts, members of the Chevalier College community will watch a variety of documentaries provided by Act for Peace and attend a documentary movie at the Empire Cinemas in Bowral.
Sponsor Chevalier College at https://school.rationchallenge.org.au/chevalier-college.
