Live Below The Line Challenge 2014

Live Below the Line is an amazing annual challenge where many people live on £1 a day to raise awareness on poverty. Gandhi said – “Poverty is the worst form of violence.” Although, this week wasn’t ideal for me to undertake the challenge due to prior engagements, I did it for one day. And let me tell you it wasn’t easy.

At first, I thought £1 a day, that’s ok, it shouldn’t be too difficult, but of boy was I wrong! Once I got down to the nitty-gritty and worked out what I would need and how much a basic diet cost me, I had to keep cutting down my usual variety of food that I was used to. It was definitely an eye-opener and hats off to everyone else who carried it on for the whole five days of the challenge. 

I realised that I could only have 3 basic meals, and nothing else. I even went over 2pence! I couldn't 'afford' any snacks, and it was very difficult to try and keep it healthy too. I realised my fruit and veg intake was kinda low, so I opted for a five bean salad from a tin to help me get my fruit and vegs and protein. As you can see if I added any poultry, meat products or fish I would have gone very over my limit. 

Something we take for granted every day is a gift for many people suffering from extreme poverty. Hundreds of people took the challenge and hundreds others sponsored them to raise money. You can still donate to a certain participants/team who you may know undertook the challenge or you can donate directly to one of the many anti-poverty organisations.

There is a SISTERS Magazine team if you would like to donate to the lovely dedicated sisters - Some of the SISTERS Magazine team members were posting photos of their meals, and looking at their struggle was educational too. 

https://www.livebelowtheline.com/team/sisters-magazine

The Cause

Find out why over 25,000 people across the world have taken the challenge to eat and drink on £1 a day for 5 days, raising over £5.5 million for the world’s leading anti-poverty organizations.

Here’s my one day living on £1.

Live Below The Line Challenge! - £1 a day

Meal Time	Meal	Amount
Breakfast	Porridge = 15p Milk = 5p Green tea = 17p	0.22p
Lunch	Cup a soup = 30p Ryvita crispbreads = 10p	0.40p
Dinner	Five Bean Salad = 25p Wrap = 15p	0.40
Total		£1.02

Why don’t you try it yourself, share the experience with family and friends, as it is a very inspirational and humbling journey and just makes you realise how lucky we are to have food and drink every day, much more than £1/day.

Be Happy! Be Healthy!

www.ahnutritionist.co.uk

By Ayshabibi H.

A H Nutritionist

2^nd May 2014