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Building the momentum for change

 
It's Friday night in Australia, and this year’s official Live Below the Line week is coming to an end.
 
But the challenge isn’t over.
 
Because our challenge is to build the movement for change.
 
And when building a movement, advocates are crucial. 
 
This week Live Below the Line participants caught a glimpse of the complexities of the issue of extreme poverty: we saw how a lack of money, resources and choice can intersect to constrain your everyday life. 
 
For the thousands taking the challenge this week has been tough. Yet we haven’t even come close to experiencing the real challenges of extreme poverty. And we never will; because we can never truly understand what it means to face systemic issues like limited access to health care, poor sanitation infrastructure, corruption and unfair trade. These issues, and more, all play a key role in perpetuating poverty and inequality.
 
They’re complex... but they’re not unchangeable.
 
In the last three decades the world has halved extreme poverty. Together, we are making progress.
 
Thanks to the support of Live Below the Line donors, the Global Poverty Project Australia will be able to invest in expanding crucial education and campaign work in three key areas that contribute to ending extreme poverty: preventing disease, supporting fair trade, and increasing transparency.
 
We know that investment in these areas can change lives. We also know that the conversations and advocacy of our supporters can multiply our impact in these areas. Not only now, but next week, next month and next year. 
 
As we continue to campaign for the end of extreme poverty, your involvement as an advocate will be invaluable. Please continue taking action, and encourage those around you to also stand up for change. 
 
This Tuesday’s announcement - that our major political parties are breaking their promise on foreign aid - demonstrates just how important our work as advocates is.
 
Thanks to everyone who took part. Not only the team who have made the campaign possible, but to the people who took this campaign into their schools, workplaces, family homes and universities; and stood up for change. Your efforts are helping build the movement for change.
 
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If you'd like to get involved with the movement, you can sign up to take the Live Below the Line challenge for the Global Poverty Project in the coming weeks, donate in support of the people taking the challenge (and support our education and campaigning work), or join our advocacy campaign The End of Polio. , 
Posted by Paul Mason - Live Below the Line in Poverty for column GPP - Australia on May 11th 2012, 05:10

Comments

11/05/12 8:15pm - Posted By d'Arcy - Flag as inappropriate - Reply to this comment
Great post Paul. LBL is so much more than just a challenge or fad. Just about to complete 5 weeks of Living Below the Line and my first meal will be ...

...humble pie! No big Mac for me just some big resolve, convictions & appreciation! That's not only my first meal but every meal now.

I hope others got just as much from the experience.

I also have a follow up blog to this 'live simply so others can simply live' http://lunnyLBTL.wordpress.com

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