world champion with a vision

Last year, Mick Fanning was crowned the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Tour Champion. This year he’s a World Vision champion for Stir Child Rescue, a program to fight child exploitation

WORDS CATRIONA GILLIES

Photo: Shorty/RipcurlMick Fanning has been a long-time sponsor with World Vision and has a history of helping people in need. We talk to him about what motivates him away from the surf.

You sponsor two children through World Vision. How did that start?
I saw an ad on TV and thought, “I can spare that much a month” – and I went straight out and sponsored two kids. I just put my hand up.

I sponsor a seven-year-old boy Lungelo, from Swaziland and a 13-year-old girl Nafisha, from India. It’s really cool – you get letters and they tell you what they’re doing and you keep in contact and send them Christmas cards. Sponsor money helps fund projects to support their community and education – it’s definitely a great thing to do.

What would you say to someone thinking of sponsoring a child?
Do it! It costs less than AU$1.50 a day. That’s like a chocolate bar. Instead of buying another chocolate bar, put it towards sponsoring a child – save your money and give it to someone who wouldn’t even know what a chocolate bar was, let alone have the opportunity to go to the shops!

And now you’re an ambassador for World Vision’s Stir Child Rescue, why?
I try to help wherever I can. If you’ve got the time it’s so easy to make someone’s life easier. I see so much poverty travelling around the world. We live in such an awesome place and we get so many opportunities.

Where are some of the places you’ve been?
Fiji, Tahiti, South Africa, Brazil, many different parts of the Americas, Indonesia and Europe. Remote parts of Indonesia have a lot of poverty, especially out in the islands and Sumatra. It’s pretty crazy to see.

You’ve seen a different side of the world than most. What are some of the things that have stood out?
When you go to South Africa, half the town may be as normal as anywhere in Australia and then the other half is full of poverty – shanty-towns where they’ve stolen signs for their roofs and built half a wall out of bricks. They’ve got so little to use. And then, on the other side of the street, are plush houses. I find that quite hard to take.

How do you respond to that sort of contradiction?
I do what I can to help. A girl who was a housemaid in South Africa was having a rough time. Mum and I helped her with things through her pregnancy, like when she found out she had AIDS and later the death of her baby. She’s had a rough time. It’s not through World Vision or anything – just personal. We help with medication for AIDS to keep her healthy and some financial help to build a garage at her home where she’s opened a salon. She and her sisters braid hair that gets them extra money for clothes and food. We do what we can.

Do you help people a lot?
She was one of the people who touched us and it wasn’t too hard to help out. It’s rewarding when you see the help you give returned with a huge smile.

Mick claims surfing’s
crown in Brazil in 2007Can you tell us a little bit about what it’s like to be world number one?
It’s busy! (laughs) Surfing is what I love and I’m just lucky enough to make a living out of it. I love competing and I get to see the world. It’s one of those childhood dreams. You never know if it’s going to come off or not. Then it started getting closer and closer and it all happened – just like a dream. It was classic.

What would you say to people with big dreams like yours?
You’ve got to chase your dreams. I was told plenty of times that I couldn’t do it. But you’ve just got to believe in yourself.

Does being number one change anything?
I still feel the same as I would any other time. I still try to be a good person. It doesn’t matter if you’re a rock star or a sports star. At the end of the day you’ve got to be a good person. That’s how I try and roll.

What gets you out of bed in the morning?
I love waking up really early and going to check the waves with my mates. It’s always fun. I hate wasting the day.

You’ve been busy with major surf competitions, but what else do you do on your weekends?
I got married on the weekend actually! It was really cool and I thought I’d be nervous, but Karissa organised everything and it was the best fun I’ve had in my whole life.

That’s pretty big! How does a wedding compare to winning the world title?
Surfing’s right there – always – but Karissa’s a very special person so I’d have to say that she’d win out if I had to make a choice!

About Starkids
Jetstar and World Vision have created StarKids to help change the lives of some of the world’s poorest communities. Your small change donated on any Jetstar flight, will help support projects in Jetstar destinations. You will find a donation envelope in your seat pocket on this flight. Visit Jetstar.com/starkids for more information.