The West goes hungry with Live Below the Line

A participant’s five-day shopping is cheaper than a morning’s coffee and doughnut.

Last month, in an article called Could you live on £1 a day?, we announced the launch of Live Below the Line, the anti-poverty campaign and fundraising crusade that has now officially kicked off. This is an event of international proportion, involving the UK, US, Australia and New Zealand. The latter, a great new addition to this year’s five-day challenge, will go live in September.

The event has gone viral on social media sites, with thousands of people using Twitter, Facebook and YouTube – among many other tools – to track their progress and share this incredible experience with creative pictures, inspiring blogs and funny video recipes.

A sensational amount of funds has been raised so far and is growing by the minute. The figures are:

United States: $73,931

United Kingdom: £210,490

Australia: $1,151,416

While we are on day three, our mission to fight and end poverty becomes more and more personal: we are weak, grumpy, unable to focus and have started to dread those sudden pangs of hunger. The loss of concentration (and our boss) shouts for caffeine, but an extra cup of coffee is unthinkable. By the way, a latte in Starbucks costs three days worth of food below the line – yes, nine proper meals; though who would have thought about it before?

So this is the third day of the challenge – apparently the hardest. It isn’t late if you wish to join in. You can pick your own five days during this month and be part of this unprecedented challenge to make a difference against poverty. 

If you wish to support me, make a small donation to UNICEF, or simply read my LBL blog, please visit my page.

For more information, visit LBL here. 

Francesca Cacciarru