Yellingbo teenager Kimberly Doulton left on Sunday to spread a message aimed at ending extreme world poverty.By Kath Gannaway
YELLINGBO teenager Kimberly Doulton is on a bus trip to put world poverty where it belongs – in the annals of history.
The 17-year-old is one of 150 young Australians selected as a youth ambassador for the Make Poverty History ZeroSeven Roadtrip.
Kimberly said the opportunity to take part in a campaign, touted as the biggest ever Australian youth event, is both tremendously exciting and a great privilege.
“We are getting on buses on Sunday at 8.30am to go to Ballarat where we will be door-knocking in the politicans’ electorates and talking one-on-one to people about the Government’s promises on addressing world poverty,” Kimberly said.
“The Government promised in the Millennium Goals in 2000 that by 2015 0.7 per cent of our national income would go towards aid for underprivileged countries.
“Currently we are only at something like 0.27 per cent and we are half way to 2015, so we have a long way to go,” Kimberly said.
“I think we are really lucky as a nation and I believe other people should have the opportunities to live like us.”
Hugh Evans, 2004 Young Australian of the Year and Director of the Oaktree Foundation which is organising the event, said youth ambassadors would have a once in a lifetime opportunity to spread the Make Poverty History message across the nation.
He said the ambassadors had demonstrated a true passion for ending extreme poverty.
The Victorian contingent will spread the message and attend concerts in Ballarat, Bendigo, and Albury/Wodonga before heading into Sydney where they will meet up with youth ambassadors from around Australia for the Live-Aid Concert.
The opportunity to see some of the biggest names in the Australian music industry is a definite bonus for a young woman who believes her generation can end extreme poverty.
“I strongly believe we have the resources to be able to make a difference and I see this as a great opportunity to show our leaders that young Australians are willing to stand up for what we believe in,” Kimberly said.
“Together as one voice, we are calling on the Government to take a leadership role in helping to make poverty history.”
