Ration Challenge 2024

Youth groups invited to sign up for Ration Challenge

In a world marked by conflict and crisis, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and hopeless. According to UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, more than 114 million people around the world have been forced to flee their homes due to conflict. And the number of forcibly displaced people is rapidly rising. 

It’s no wonder young people feel increasingly disenfranchised and disempowered.  

	Photo credit: Act for Peace

As an international humanitarian agency, Act for Peace believe that young people are an important part of the solution. Act for Peace is empowering young Australians to take action and make a real difference through the annual Ration Challenge during Refugee Week in June.  

In 2024, the Ration Challenge will take place through youth groups in Australia.

Participants will receive a ration pack containing the same rations, as those distributed to refugees in camps in Jordan – a small amount of rice, beans, chickpeas, lentils, fish (or tofu), oil and flour.   

For three days, participants are sponsored to eat the same rations as a refugee living in Jordan. All the funds raised will help provide emergency food, healthcare and life-changing support for people affected by conflict and disaster.   

By raising funds and experiencing what it’s like to live on a refugee’s rations, your youth group will be putting their faith into action, gaining personal insights and making a meaningful impact on the lives of refugees and people who have been displaced. 

We will provide inspiring resources and communications for youth leaders to support their participants throughout the journey to maximise their experience. 

Act for Peace CEO, Elijah Buol OAM, lost his parents to conflict when he was a child and spent many years in refugee camps in South Sudan before coming to Australia in 2002 as an unaccompanied minor.  

“People who are displaced are not just numbers,” says Mr Buol. “They are real people with dreams, hopes and aspirations that can be realised. It’s up to us to create meaningful impact by holding people’s hands, supporting them to rebuild their lives.”  

“Humanity is limitless. The world is calling us to support people in need at this time. It’s time to reflect and be part of the movement.  

“Young people can play an important role in shaping the future and making real change in the world for people who need it most.”  

The challenge will also continue to take place through schools. Oakhill College in Sydney has been participating since the Schools Ration Challenge started with approximately 100 students signing up each year. This year the school is aiming to raise $30,000 and according to Missions Director, Roxanne Leopardi, the impact on students is significant. 

“It instils a sense of gratitude for the abundance of food and resources that many people take for granted, as well as a greater appreciation for the resilience and strength of refugees who endure difficult circumstances,” says Roxanne. 

Over the past 10 years, thousands of dedicated individuals have taken the Ration Challenge, raising more than $26 million to support refugees and displaced people. 

This is a great opportunity to become one of the first youth groups in Australia to take the Ration Challenge in 2024. Engage your youth group in this transformative journey of compassion and solidarity and together, work towards reducing division and creating a more compassionate society.  

Find out more or register for the  Youth Group Ration Challenge.