How much change can you make out of £1? That’s the question Kristina Crawford, a Global Poverty Ambassador, is asking as she embarks on living below the poverty line to help end extreme poverty. The campaign, created by the Global Poverty Project and supported by celebrities Hugh Jackman, Spice Girl Melanie C and Harry Potter actress Bonnie Wright, is an innovative campaign which challenges the public to get sponsored to cut their spending on food and drink to just £1 a day from 7-11 May 2012. This budget is the daily reality for 1.4 billion people around the world who are forced to live below the poverty line every day, for everything.
Reflecting on the challenge Kristina, Assistant to the Head of Sixth Form at St Ninian’s High School said: “Living on just £1 a day for 5 days for all food and drink isn’t your ordinary charity campaign. It gives you a unique insight into the challenge faced by over a billion people across the world everyday. I’m so proud to have a team of people from St Ninian’s High School joining me as I embark on this challenge. To also have the support of my local MHK’s Phil Gawne and Laurence Skelly has been a real inspiration.”
Laurence Skelly says: “Experiencing living below the line is going to be tough, but I think it is important. It is not often that we take time to consider what life is like for the 25% of the world's population who live in extreme poverty and I look forward to being challenged and involved in this campaign”
Phil Gawne adds: “Extreme poverty is an injustice, that we should all take responsibility to end. Live Below the Line is one way that each individual can make a difference and I am excited to be part of this campaign.”
An initiative from the Global Poverty Project, the Live Below the Line campaign raises funds for some of the leading international charities including, UNICEF, Salvation Army, RESULTS UK, Restless Development, Malaria No More UK and Christian Aid. With over 10,000 people undertaking the challenge across the world in 2011, Live Below the Line will engage even more people in 2012.
You can join the challenge by registering at www.livebelowtheline.com/uk and joining the Isle of Man network. On this website you can find tips, recipes, and create your own fundraising page. By registering you will also be joining local band Panicland. The band made up of Year 11 and Sixth Form students, Ffinlo Colley, Lily Wolter and Chris Blackburn, recently came second in ‘The Next Big Thing 2012’. Chris says “We want to make some positive change in the world and the Live Below the Line initiative is an excellent way to do that.”
Kristina hopes to see as many people from the Island participating in this campaign and has set up an Isle of Man Live Below the Line Facebook page (www.facebook.com/IsleOfManLiveBelowTheLine) for unique updates on our local efforts.
