One of the most progressive and challenging calls to action that the charitable landscape has seen in quite some time, Live Below the Line summons Canadians to spend 5 days (April 29th to May 5th) feeding ourselves with just $1.75 a day – the Canadian equivalent of the extreme poverty line. To give a tangible glimpse into the burdensome lives of 1.4 billion people who live below the line every day, this campaign, spearheaded by The Global Poverty Project, will impel people to think about extreme poverty in a new way.
Certainly not an easy endeavor, over 20,000 individuals from Canada, the US, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand will participate in this seminal undertaking. With just $8.75 to buy all of the ingredients necessary to sustain oneself for 5 days, those at Live Below the Line has assembled a series of materials to help you along your journey.
In 2005, the World Bank defined the international Extreme Poverty Line as $1.25 US dollars a day. Calculated using Purchasing Power Parity and converting the figure to reflect current rates of inflation, today’s figure amounts to a meager $1.75 each day. Take into account that this movement asks us to use $1.75 to cover only our food costs – the 1.4 billion people worldwide who have no choice but to live on such a budget also have to account for healthcare costs, housing, transportation, clothing and education.
As self professed foodies, satisfaction and indulgence often go hand in hand. Though sincerely grateful for our ability to live lives that are fueled by good food and drink, campaigns such as Live Below the Line force us to take a step back and qualify our day-to-day gluttony on a more intimate level. For all of us who ask the question When is my next meal?, there are far too many who are forced to ask How will I get my next meal?
Pledging your energy towards this cause allows individuals to do more than just raise awareness. Participants will sign up in support of one of four charitable organizations: Cuso International, Raising the Village, RESULTS Canada, and Spread the Net. Think about how much could be raised if we took the difference from a normal 5 days of eating and put it towards something as impacting as this.
From April 29th to May 5th, are you ready to Live Below the Line?