SWEAT IT - Me Whakapau Werawera
Caritas promotes authentic human development. This means development of the whole person. It provides for their economic, cultural, political, social and spiritual wellbeing.
Sweat It - Work Under Demanding Conditions
Experience physically demanding work and stand in solidarity with communities on the frontlines of climate change. Around the world, people work under increasingly harsh conditions - farming in extreme heat, adapting to unpredictable rainfall, and finding new ways to grow food as weather patterns shift.
Climate change makes physically demanding work even harder. Farmers face droughts and floods. Construction workers rebuild after disasters. Communities labour in extreme temperatures to sustain their livelihoods.
Through this challenge, reflect on the Catholic Social Teaching principle of Human Dignity - recognizing that all workers deserve safe conditions, fair compensation, and support to adapt to climate impacts.
Ways to Take the Challenge:
Make & Sell
Work in shifts creating items to sell (e.g., baked goods, crafts, garden produce)
Set up production stations and rotate participants
Experience the physical demands of sustained labour
Sell at markets, after Mass, or in your community
Physical Labour
Outdoor work in challenging weather conditions
Gardening or farming projects
Community clean-up or rebuilding activities
Manual labour for local organizations
Climate-Connected Challenges
Work without electricity (experiencing energy poverty)
Carry water for cooking/cleaning (simulating water scarcity)
Build temporary shelters (understanding displacement)
Create your own demanding challenge
As You Work, Reflect:
How does climate change affect people doing physical labour?
What happens when crops fail or disasters destroy livelihoods?
How can we support communities building resilience to climate impacts?
Your fundraising supports the He Oranga Taurikura programme, helping climate-vulnerable communities prepare for emergencies and adapt to environmental challenges.
