Monte Swims to Fight Child Hunger Again

IN MAY, American humanitarian swimmer Monte Monfore achieved another world first swimming from Lombok to Gili Tranwangan. His 7-kilometer Lombok Fight Hunger Swim was part of a global World Food Program (WFP) campaign supporting hungry school children.

Prior to his predawn start, the 46-year-old Bali resident spoke about the goal of the WFP and the United Nations Millennium Campaign to end child hunger by 2015. In a pre-swim announcement the Californian endurance athlete said, "This swim is to give a voice to the world's hungry, especially hungry children."


Following his two-hour 10-minute swim Monte spoke passionately to the media, "The statistics on hunger are shocking. Every 5 seconds somewhere in the world a child dies because of lack of food. This means in the two-and-a-half hours I swam roughly 2,000 children died. And while you slept last night another 6,000 children died. Every year 6 million children die of hunger. But something can be done about this tragedy. For only 19 cents a day children can be provided nutritious meals with the WFP 'Global School Feeding Program'. And $US34 will feed a child for an entire school year. I ask everyone to please donate generously. You can make a difference at www.fighthunger.org."

Nearly every Indonesian TV station attended the Lombok Fight Hunger Swim. Event footage was sent to broadcasters worldwide by Reuters Television. This was Monte's fourth United Nations-related swim in the past year. His swimming supports Bali-based Advice for Life Orphanage and Bali Community Cares.

Continuing his series of endurance swims in support of the UN Millennium Campaign, later this year the marathon swimmer plans an Environmental Sustainability/Anti-Global Warming Swim, and an HIV/AIDS Awareness Swim supporting the Bali Community Cares organization for children of HIV/AIDS patients. Donate to hungry children and watch swim video at www.monteswimmer.com. Bali & Beyond is pleased to support Monte's swimming and humanitarian efforts.

www.monteswimmer.com
(Photos by Erik Wijaya)