As many as 811 million go to bed hungry each night, but more than enough food is produced to feed the global population
Australia
Over one third of deaths in Australia aged 15-24 were due to suicide in 2020.
One in every 5 Australians- about four million people- suffers from a mental illness.
15% of all Australian youth are disengaged from any education or training at the age of 24.
One in three Australian women have experienced physical violence since the age of 15.
In 1995 Loren Cunningham had a vision of youths covering all the continents of the globe, preaching the gospel and spreading the good news. Loren has since brought this vision to life through YWAM (Youth With a Mission).
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In 1992, Ken & Robyn Mulligan arrived with a small team to pioneer YWAM Townsville with a focus on meeting the real and felt needs of young people and empowering them to engage in their communities to bring hope and assistance. YWAM Townsville helps people in Australia, Papua New Guinea & beyond!
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YWAM Townsville is where Lemi & I have been called, and where our story begins.
Papua New Guinea
There are over 7 million young people under the age of 25 living in PNG, and only one in three children complete primary education.
The unemployment rate is estimated to be as high as 90% amongst young people aged 15 to 24 years in the national capital district.
PNG's maternal mortality rate is the highest in the Pacific region, and immunisation coverage against preventable diseases has plateaued to around 60%.
PNG has one of the highest rates of oral cancer in the world per population, with only 62 dentists in the nation.
Gender based violence in PNG is considered by some to be of epidemic proportions. It is estimated that two-thirds of women are victims of some sort of physical or sexual violence in their lifetime.