Around the world 1.4 billion people live below the poverty line; in the U.K. this means existing daily on just £1, or $1.58. The Salvation Army is encouraging people to do something about it by taking the Live Below The Line challenge, spending just £5 over five days on food and drink, from May 7-11.
Those accepting the challenge will sign up at livebelowtheline.org.uk/saiduk, where they will create a fundraising page and get tips on how to live below the line. All donations will support The Salvation Army’s International Development UK (SAID) new farm program that helps small farmers grow enough produce to sustain themselves and their families.
“Live Below The Line is a chance to take one small step toward understanding what 1.4 billion people go through each day, and to raise money to help The Salvation Army in our work to help people lift themselves out of such extreme poverty,” said Carl Jobson from SAID.
The challenge has also been issued in the U.S., Australia and New Zealand; find information at livebelowtheline.com.
Read more about the U.K. challenge, including comments from those who participated in 2011, at salvationarmy.org.uk/uki/NewsLiveBelowLine.