Profiling young people making a difference in the Pressie Network.
Andrew Colgan is a university student and a part-time youth worker at St Luke's in Auckland. He is also one of the organisers of RunNZ with World Vision. RunNZ is a three-week run that covers the entire country and aims to raise awareness and money for the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The runners start at Cape Reinga and finish in Bluff, stopping at various centres to speak to schools and other groups. It is a simultaneous relay, with each team member running between 20km and 30km each day.
Where does the money that you raise go?
Andrew: The surplus funds (once the costs of the event have been covered) all go towards the first year of “Project Positive Living”, which is an HIV prevention initiative about to start in Papua New Guinea with World Vision and a number of other organisations.
Why did you choose this cause?
Andrew: HIV/AIDS is something that is having a huge impact globally. Countries are being devastated by the pandemic and this is a fact that young New Zealanders find it easy to turn their backs on. There is an urgent need for people to unite and work together to address this problem. Also HIV/AIDS poses a very real threat to New Zealanders. The best way to prevent an outbreak here is to raise awareness about the nature of the problem.
What is the vision behind RunNZ?
Andrew: Obviously, RunNZ aims to raise money for our PNG project and to promote awareness about HIV / AIDS. However, our vision is far deeper than this. There is a prevailing mindset among young New Zealanders of apathy towards issues of global and social justice. This is often due to a frustration at the enormity of the world’s problems and resignation to the idea that an individual is too insignificant to make a difference. None of us are accomplished runners. We aim to demonstrate that you don’t have to be anything special to make a change.
What is the most exciting thing about being involved with organising the run?
Andrew: Seeing the enthusiasm with which people are prepared to get behind us.
Do you have any recommended books?
Andrew: No-Nonsense Guide to HIV and AIDS published by the New Internationalist - this gives a great compact summary of the main facts. Fences and Windows by Naomi Klein - it really gets you passionate about the terrible things going on in our world.
Any recommended websites?
Andrew: www.scoop.co.nz for world news not so obscured by the lens of corporate global media.
Will you be doing any running?
Andrew: Yes, hopefully about 270km over the three weeks of RunNZ (provided my legs hold together).
Where can I find out more about RunNZ?
Andrew: There’s heaps of info on our website at www.runfortheirlives.co.nz