Live Below the Line

Today marks the first day of the Live Below the Line Campaign, where RESULTS members will be spending just $2 a day each on food to experience, and raise awareness first-hand the effects of extreme poverty.

Live Below the Line is an incredible new awareness and fundraising campaign that's making a huge difference in the fight against extreme poverty.

Quite simply, it allows thousands of Australians to better understand the daily challenges faced by those trapped in the cycle of extreme poverty, and builds a movement of passionate people willing and able to make a meaningful difference for those who need it most.

The week of Live Below the Line is a week like no other. From May 16th - 20th, thousands of Australians will spend just $2 each day on food, and use their daily experiences to bring extreme poverty to the centre of conversation in homes around Australia. We'll all be challenged, we'll struggle without caffeine, and have a faint feeling of being not quite full for the whole week.

FYI: The UN Human Poverty Index (HPI) for 2006 only has a ranking for 18 of the 21 countries with the highest Human Development Index. In the report, Australia is ranked 14th in the OECD, with a HPI of 12.8.

THIS WEEK a group of RESULTS members will be taking part in the Live Below the Line campaign in an effort to raise awareness in the fight against extreme poverty.

Christine Clarke, RESULTS' Fundraising Coordinator, and her family are all getting involved this year to better understand the daily challenges faced by those trapped in the cycle of extreme poverty.

Christine Clarke: 

I’m doing this because I want to try and appreciate what it would be like to have few choices about what I eat and yet try and stay well and give my family a nutritious diet so they grow and survive childhood and develop as they should.

I am not looking forward to going without my glass or wine or maybe a chocolate with a cup of tea at the end of a busy day with Brian, but I believe we will not go hungry! 

I am inspired by my children for being prepared and enthusiastic about doing this with us, and willing to experience some small hardships, and possibly be questioned at school next week from friends and peers who may question: “Why wouldn't you do that?"!

   
Tess Clarke (12-yrs-old):

I am doing this because I want to raise awareness to others about the Global Poverty Project and show people that no matter how young you are you can make a difference.

I am not looking forward to eating pumpkin soup with no cream and porridge for breakfast.

I'm inspired by my mother and RESULTS. I mean they were the ones that told me about it, but it all started when I watched a video clip 'The Girl Effect' and it impacted on me and made me want to do more for others.

Ally Goodwin:

I'm doing this because I want to understand, at least in part, what it's actually like living life where every tiny choice affects whether or not you or your family can eat next time you're hungry. 

I also hope that my taking part will help raise awareness of what life's like for so many people everywhere, which can so often seem so far away when we are indeed the minority. 

I'm not looking forward to going to work (in a cafe) and taking everyone's meals to them, which I know at the time will seem luxurious and gigantic!

I'm inspired by the people who live harder than this every day and who I have never heard complain.

UPDATE
Watch the Clarke family (at the link below) explain their reasons why they're taking on the Live Below the Line Challenge on Channel 10's current affairs program 'George Negus at 6.30' last Friday. 

The Clarke's Living Below the Line Challenge