For many Americans, purchasing delicious and expensive Starbucks products has become a daily routine. One can easily spend $10 on a coffee and pastry. However, a quarter of the world, living in extreme poverty, has less than that to survive on in a week.  So, we thought we’d share a cool project with you.

In 2005, the World Bank defined “extreme poverty” as having only $1.25 per day (adjusted to $1.50 to account for inflation in 2011) to cover all food, housing, health, education, and transportation expenses. The Global Poverty Project (GPP) responded to this shocking fact by creating the “Live Below the Line” campaign. The initiative raises awareness about extreme poverty and challenges its participants to live with a food budget of $1.50 per day, for five days, from May 16-20, 2011.

“Live Below the Line” first launched on August 2010 in Australia. Fifteen thousand people signed up and nearly half a million dollars was raised. It gained huge media attention, which helped the movement quickly spread to other countries, including the U.S. in April. This year, the challenge will take place in Australia, the U.S. and the U.K. More than 10,000 people will participate and the international organization is expected to raise $1 million globally. The money will help support GPP and its partners.

“It is certainly a challenge to eat and drink off of $1.50 a day for five days, but for 1.4 billion people, $7.50 is all they have not only for food, but also for living costs, clothing – everything! ‘Live Below the Line’ highlights the challenges that over one billion people are faced with everyday and urges us to do something about it,” says GPP board member, actor, Hugh Jackman.

For more information on the campaign, click here. Or, to learn more about what Here’s Life’s doing to help the poor in America’s inner cities click here.

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