Jack Berne cares about Australian farmers. When hearing of the droughts and their impact on farming and families, Jack decided something needed to be done. A fiver for a Farmer sprung from this, donating to and helping these essential Australian workers. What Jack had hoped would help out just a few families, went viral, raising over 1.8 million dollars for Australian farmers nation-wide. Having now met with the Australian prime minister and many other noteworthy individuals, Jack continues to spread his passion, encouraging others to shop local and to lend a helping hand to their fellow Aussie.

Kebloom spoke to Jack before his big campaign about his passion for change and helping others.

1) Please introduce yourself.

Hey guys, I’m Jack Berne. I’m 12 years old and I live in Sydney on the Northern Beaches.

“My ultimate goal in life is just to help people and brighten their day. I hope everyone has that goal.”

2) What is the name of your not-for-profit?

I started a not-for-profit charity, A fiver for a Farmer, to help Aussies in our outback and own backyards.

3)   Tell us a little bit about your not-for-profit.

A fiver for a Farmer started about 3 years ago, I was watching a video on BTN about the droughts. It burned a big passion in my belly and i wanted to do something about it. I went home to mum and she gave me some ideas, I thought about it, and A fiver for a Farmer came along. A fiver for a Farmer was a day where I was going to get my classmates in school to dress up like farmers and bring in $5. I was very excited for this, but thinking it wouldn’t go far. In a day I raised $20,000 which was ridiculous. Now, I have raised $1.8 million.

“You've got to go out there with a mission and tell people what you want to do. That's how you become successful.”

4) What passions inspired your not-for-profit?

Well, my passion was seeing that people in need, needed my help. This kind of triggered something in me and I needed to help, so I did, starting A fiver for a Farmer. I’m helping kids in need, and adults who are skipping out on things that they love. This problem goes on and on, and I'm still trying to stop it.

5) What skills have you developed along the way?

A big skill that I've developed during this whole crazy thing is public speaking. I was a nervous wreck before all of this, could not get a word out in front of my class. But after this, it kind of gave me passion and with passion I gained confidence and now I love public speaking, it is so cool. I also definitely got better at helping people.

6) What are your current goals and ultimate goal?

My current goal is to raise money for one or two families and help them, but I’ve smashed that, which is just amazing and I'm so grateful for it. So, my ultimate goal in life is just to help people and brighten their day. I hope everyone has that goal.

7) What is your advice for other young entrepreneurs?

What advice would I give to other entrepreneurs?

Be, bold, be brave and don't be afraid of criticism. You've got to be strong. You've got to go out there with a mission and tell people what you want to do. That's how you become successful.

…and anything else you’d like to add!

If there's anything else, I'd like to add, it's:

• Shop local

• Buy Aussie produce

• Check your labels

• Make sure it's coming from your own backyard

If you want to hear more from me, check out the A fiver for a Farmer website. I’m also on Instagram and Facebook. Have a great day and smile!

About the Author:

Ellie McRae is the blogger, interviewer and content creator for Kebloom! When she’s not writing kick-ass articles, you’ll find her studying marketing and drinking copious amounts of coffee. Find out more about Ellie here.