SHESPEAKS Your Power to Influence

   There are 1.4 billion people who live in extreme poverty every day. Some who live on just $1.50 a day ... a dire $7.50 a WEEK.

Over the years, I have seen many informercials about the poor and hungry. I have heard the spokesperson tell saddening stories of "Joseph" or "Sally" who barely have anything to eat, and how they and their families are suffering. I have seen the disturbing photos of their emmaciated bodies and the despair in their eyes.Yet, I had done nothing. "Just pennies a day can help", they said. But still, nothing. Today, I made a decision. I made a decision to stop hearing and start doing.

  "Live Below The Line" is a challenge open to everyday people to live on a total of $1.50 a day -the equivalent of the extreme poverty line- for 5 days.That gives you $7.50 to spend on yourself to live for 5 days. Wow... THAT may be an eye opener, huh? "Live Below" is partnered with numerous charities too, so if you don't think that you are up to the challenge you can donate to them. Here's a list of partners:

*Shot @ Life 

*Care 

*Global Syndicate 

*UNICEF 

*Rainforest Foundation 

*Malaria No More 

*The Global Poverty Project 

I signed up with the Global Poverty Project. I think this campaign should be taken by everyone. I think that it will bring us back to reality and teach us how to better appreciate all the little things in life and realize how gluttonous we, as a society, can be. Just trying to write my thoughts down for this is making me want to go and volunteer. I don't know about you, but I think that together, if we try, we can help end poverty... one dollar at a time.