The Global Poverty Project Story

In late 2006, anti-poverty campaigners and then leaders of The Oaktree Foundation Hugh Evans and Simon Moss saw the film An Inconvenient Truth.

Seasoned campaigners who have been involved in numerous anti-poverty campaigns, Hugh and Simon were struck by the powerful way the film conveyed the importance of action on climate change and saw an opportunity to use a similar presentation to revitalise the global movement to end extreme poverty.

A year later, when Hugh received a call from then UN Millennium Campaign Director Salil Shetty, he pitched the idea of using a presentation and film about the end of extreme poverty to revitalise and build upon the existing global movement. Salil saw great potential in the concept, and helped build support for the Project across the development sector. As this support grew, Hugh and Simon started building a team who could help them launch the Presentation to the Australian public.

As a leader in the anti-poverty sector, Hugh knew that a presentation offered an incredible vehicle for inspiring and mobilising a global movement. After years of building social movements and working in development, Simon understood the need to bridge the gap between individual stories, international agreements and organisations making a difference on the ground. Together, they saw the potential for a presentation and feature documentary to engage the general public with the opportunity to end extreme poverty in a generation, and to garner the international support needed to meet poverty reduction goals.

The Global Poverty Project concept was formally launched in New York at the UN High Level Meeting on the Millennium Development Goals in September 2008, with the support of Salil Shetty (then Director of the UN Millennium Campaign); Stephen Smith MP (then Australian Foreign Minister); and Tim Costello (CEO of World Vision Australia).

Over the following months, a research and production team worked with leading academics, communications experts, and aid and development organisations to develop the world-class multimedia presentation 1.4 Billion Reasons.

At the same time, a group of dedicated volunteers worked to connect communities around Australia with the Presentation. And, on the 4^th of July 2009, as the result of the tireless work of a dedicated team of staff, volunteers, interns, partners, advisors and supporters, 1.4 Billion Reasons launched to the world from Melbourne, Australia.

Over the following months, a core team of staff, volunteers and interns worked to engage thousands around the world with one simple fact: that we can end extreme poverty within a generation.

The Global Poverty Project now has offices in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, as well as a community of supporters in Mexico City (Mexico) and Utrecht (the Netherlands).

The Global Poverty Project continues to grow, and reach communities around the world with our Presentation, advocacy campaigns and education resources. In 2011 and beyond, we will be working to develop a feature documentary that further explores extreme poverty issues, and outlines effective actions being taken by citizens around the world. We will also continue to build our advocacy work, with campaigns like Live Below the Line and The End of Polio.

You can join the growing Global Poverty Project movement by booking 1.4 Billion Reasons for your community, or making a commitment to take action to fight extreme poverty.