When Sam Johnson first picked up a shovel and mobilized his fellow students to help clean up Christchurch's streets after last September's earthquake in New Zealand, he never imagined his efforts would turn him into an international star.

But as the leader of Christchurch's Student Volunteer Army, 22-year-old Johnson is in demand around the world.

His organization, a self-organized workforce said to be 10,000 strong, even inspired a Japanese version modeled after Johnson's group following the tsunami.

(READ the story from Stuff.co.nz)