Over the weekend of 26 to 28 October 2007, a small group of young adults and teenagers from Ridgeway Methodist Church built and lived in their own slum dwellings at the front of the church. They lived on a diet of rice, lentils and water and without their usual "necessities" of mobile phones, CD players, cosmetics etc. Slum Survivor took place again over February half-term 2009, from 13 to 15 February. Pictures from both weekends can be seen below.

The weekend was part of Slum Survivor, a joint initiative between Soul Survivor and Tearfund which took place at hundreds of churches around the country. The initiative was a simulation experience designed to:

Help young people get a taste of what life might be like in a slum.

Reflect on God's concern for the poor.

Start thinking about how they can respond.

Raise money for projects already running in slum areas.

Projects being supported by sponsorship money from the weekend include:

Indlela: This is a pre-school that provides care, support, protection and basic education for poor children in Durban, South Africa.

Joybells: An orphanage and school in Northern India that provides care and education for orphaned and destitute children.

ZOE: A project seeking to find long term solutions to the problems faced by Zimbabwe's orphaned children.

Just Children's Foundation: A project providing care, support, shelter, counselling and education for the many street and orphaned children within Zimbabwe.

Father's Heart Foundation: An orphan care programme that provides support and assistance for children in Durban.