Everyone has had that moment where they look at their bank account, die a little inside and then resign themselves to the fact they’ll only be eating Mi goreng until the next payday. Once your cash lands, though, you’re back to makin’ it rain on $20 breakfasts and all of the freshly pressed juices your esophagus can accommodate. But for a lot of people, and we mean ~a lot~, your shameful $0.76 noodles would be considered a luxury.
Over one billion people worldwide live in extreme poverty; that’s the Aussie equivalent to earning a measly $2 a day. That one coin would not only have to cover your food but your housing, health and education as well.
So, if you think you’re on a tight budget when you have to resort to the mildly stale $1 bread from Woolies, consider joining Oaktree from May 4th-8th to Live Below The Line to shine some much-needed light on people living in extreme poverty. You’ll be allowed to spend this much over five days:
Obviously those five days can in no way be compared to actually living below the poverty line (you still have Netflix and your bed), but it’s a start to actually get us all thinking about someone other than ourselves.
All monies raised will go to supporting educational projects like
building schools, training teachers and providing scholarships to people
living in remote Timor-Leste, Cambodia and Papua New Guinea.
There are a stack of recognisable-to-you faces already signed up to live on next to nothing, including ex-triple j-er Lindsay ‘The Doctor’ McDougall, The Doctor’s replacement on triple j Veronica Milsom, Masterchef / mum Julie Goodwin and Superjesus Sarah Macleod.
Due to the fact he’s touring Europe in May with Frenzal Rhomb – and figured eating free rider food would probably be cheating – Lindsay is doing the challenge this week.
The Doc told us that he normally spends about $60 on food a week ($40 for the staples, $20 for vegan bullshit like “gelatine-free marshmallows, chocolate chip banana bread, and the latest in quinoa technology”) and so, having only 10 bucks to play with is going to be a bit of a challenge for him.
“I’ve spent the last week filling my body with fruits and vegetables to keep the scurvy at bay. I’ve been preparing, and it’s definitely possible. I eat a lot of rice and beans or lentils anyway, so I’ve just got to work out how to make them taste good enough to last the 5 days.
If that fails I can just walk up the road to the Newtown Lentil As Anything restaurant. Their pricing policy is “Pay What You Feel”, and I can do what every tightarse dickhead hipster does there every lunchtime in their fancy slacks and overpriced floral shirts, and just not pay for the food. But then again I’m not an entitled dickwad.”
So far, he’s spent $6.50 on this:
To sign up or for more info (with which to convince your friends to join you) or to donate, head to www.livebelowtheline.com.au
