Another Year 7 student is trading her warm bed and comfy couch for the floor so she can get some idea of what life is like without furniture.

These are some of the creative ways a group of Hennessy Catholic College students are partaking in World Vision’s 40 hour Famine which kicks off at 8pm tonight and runs till noon Sunday. 

Funds raised this year will go towards food security projects in Malawi, Ethiopia, East Timor, Nepal, Tanzania and Uganda.

World Vision reports that more than 1.9 million people in southern Malawi don’t have enough food to eat and more than 40 per cent of Malawians live on less than US$1 per day.

 “People in Malawi are afraid to go to sleep, they are afraid for their lives, of being captured or killed,” Year 10 student Bruce Wayne said.

He said learning this had shocked him and he wanted to do something to help.

Bruce said he and his two friends planned to drink plenty of coffee, watch movies and take trips outside in the cold to ward off sleep.

He conceded they may have a little fun doing so, but the real challenge would be getting through their Saturday jobs and activities  on no sleep. 

Year 7 student Abigail, who’s giving up furniture, said she expected sleeping on the floor to be difficult but that giving up her bed would help her to think twice about what she has.

“I just think people there don’t really have stuff that we do – beds to sleep on at night or couches to rest on after a hard day at work or at school,” she said.

Meanwhile, Year 12 student Maddie Rozyn has decided to give up the internet for the 40 hours, something many in our community would find challenging (your author included).

“Some countries don’t have access to the internet as we have,” she said. “I think I will get a sense of achievement and some knowledge of what people go through.”  

Giving up the traditional, but possibly most challenging, necessity is Year 8 student Isabella Curtis who will be relying on only barely sugars, water, tea and juice to keep her sustained.

“I wanted to give up food so I could see how the people in Malawi live because most people don’t have [much] food,” she said. “I don’t think I’ll last, but I’ll do it as long as I can to see what the people of Malawi go through every day.”

40 Hour Famine team leader, Hennessy teacher Leonie Green said she’d been impressed with the students’ commitment.

“We’ve got at least 25 [students] and will get to 35 by the end of the day,” she said.   

Ms Green said the students were hoping to raise $1500 for the cause while at the same time raise awareness on the issue of extreme poverty.

“It’s good to get people educated and not taking for granted what we have so much of,” she said.

To support the students taking part in the 40 Hour Famine call Hennessy Catholic College on 6382 1486 or visit 40hourfamine.com.au for more information.