Live Below the Line

1.2 Billion people, that's a sixth of the world population, have to get by on just £1 a day their most basic needs - food, clean water, shelter, education, health, everything.

Live Below the Line is challenging individuals and communities to eat and drink on just £1 per day for 5 days, to bring to life the experiences of the 1.2 billion people currently living in extreme poverty. Think about that figure - 1.2 BILLION - that's nearly 20 times the population of the UK - living every day in extreme poverty.

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Participants chose to take the challenge and fundraise for one of our 35 charity partners whose work is vital to ending extreme poverty.  

One such participant is my lovely friend Kate, who is says:

"Last year I successfully managed to complete this challenge, but it was a challenge. This year I am eating more food, drinking more chocolate and I have less time to plan and prepare meals. I am genuinely wondering how it is going to be possible to manage on £1 a day. 

I expect to be grumpy and hungry, but at least I can make up for it at the weekend. The reason this challenge is so important to me is becuase of the huge number of people around the world and in the uk who have no choice but to watch every penny they spend. As a mother it particularly hits me that there are parents who choose to miss meals so they can feed their children, some of them within 5 miles of where I work in London.

If you aren't taking part in the challenge please think about how much money you spend over the 5 days and the luxury you have of eating foods you enjoy rather than what you can afford to survive. It would be great if you could donate some money (my chosen charity is Save the Children), but it's more important for me to raise awareness. "

Well, that's a bit more awareness raised, but long time readers will know I'm big on the old fundraising, so if you can, why not pop by her page (or one of the many others), and donate at least £1 - for 1.2 billion people, that would be all they could possibly give today.