Luke joins five-day poverty campaign

Umina resident Luke Godley will spend just $2 a day on food for a week as part of the Live Below the Line poverty campaign.

Mr Godley said he was not content with simply signing a petition or wearing an armband when it came to global poverty.

The former Brisbane Water Secondary College student will be joined by hundreds of other Australians who are taking the challenge in the first week of August.

As a part of the campaign, Mr Godley will spend just $2 each day on food - the Australian equivalent of the international extreme poverty line.

"The scary thing for me was when I found out that living in extreme poverty meant having less than $2 to spend in Australia," Mr Godley said.

"Sometimes we think to ourselves 'but $2 would go so much further overseas' - but that's not the case.

"I couldn't even imagine having to cover all my food, accommodation, health and education for $2 or less."

Mr Godley will Live Below the Line for five days to raise money for life-changing education programs to combat global poverty.

He believes education is the most important thing people can do to end extreme poverty, and is looking forward to the challenge of feeding himself with only $2 a day.

"It's less than I normally spend on a bus ticket, so it's going to be hard," Mr Godley said.

"But 1.4 billion people do this everyday, and have to pay for much more than just food - so I'm sure I'll find a way."

Having already received support from his family and friends, Mr Godley has called on members of the Peninsula community to join the challenge.

Live Below the Line is an Australian initiative that will launch internationally next year.

For more information, visit www.livebelowtheline.com or to sponsor Mr Godley visit www.everydayhero.com.au/godles

Email, 30 Jul 2010 Luke Godley, Umina