Four football-mad boys have each dribbled a football for a combined 40 kilometres to raise money to provide kids in the Pacific with food.

The four Te Kura o Tittea Mount Aspiring College (MAC) year 7 boys - Ben Jurczyluk, Thaddeous Foster, Ethan Collins-Mckeown, and Liam Koehler - undertook the ambitious challenge on Saturday (June 14). 

The boys started at the Outlet boat ramp, and each dribbled a football to Wānaka; twice around Pembroke Park, and finally into a goal to mark the 10km mark.

Their efforts were part of the World Vision 40 Hour Challenge, raising funds to help families in the Pacific region farm climate-smart crops and plant mangroves so they can feed their children in a changing climate.

“The boys smashed their challenge and had lots of fun along the way, footballs ending up in all sorts of challenging places to extract with feet,” Ethan’s mother Liz said.

The boys had lots of fun along the way, and had to extract the footballs from all sorts of places. 

“There were some tired 11 year olds [on Saturday night].”

The boys are just $200 off their goal of $1,500. People can support the cause here.

The boys’ efforts were supported by the Wānaka Football Club.

PHOTOS: Liz Collins