http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/mid/4456490.stm
A 16-year-old girl has started a week-long fast to raise awareness of the plight facing children in Niger. Siriol Teifi, a pupil at Ysgol Dyffryn Teifi, Llandysul, Ceredigion, is urging people to help the famine-stricken African country. She started her protest on Monday and is being supported by her family and teachers at her school. She had already raised £250 for charity Christian Aid's Niger campaign.
A sixth-form pupil, Siriol will drink only water during the fast.
Speaking ahead of her protest, Siriol, granddaughter of former Plaid Cymru president Gwynfor Evans who died earlier this year, said: "My fast will be a small way of identifying with young people of the same age as me who are suffering in Niger.
"I don't think that I'll be feeling sorry for myself because I hope to be eating again at the end of the week whereas their suffering will continue." Siriol, from Llanfihangl ar Arth, Carmarthenshire, added: "I ask everyone to send donations to Christian Aid's appeal."
Ysgol Dyffryn Teifi's head teacher Dorian Williams said he, his staff and pupils all supported Siriol. "She is a girl with strong principles and it is nice to see a young person making a stand against things that she's concerned about as an individual, matters that should cause concern to politicians," he said.
"Africa is a continent full of problems and Siriol gives a 100% to the campaign." In July, experts said the famine in Niger was its worst food crisis since 1984-5. Christian Aid said 2.4 million people were facing food shortages after locusts and drought destroyed last year's crops.
I am fully in support of people fasting for charity etc, but I've not heard of fasts longer then 48 hours for a charitable cause. This just seems really unhealthy for the girl and I am concerned that none of her family seem a worried about it.
It also concerns me that the article has not highlighted any of the health issues for the girl undertaking the fast.
Maybe I am just be overly sensitive.
