Celebrities all around New Zealand will be ditching trim soy latte coffees, fancy meals and wine this week and instead try to live on $11.25 for five days.
Musician Tiki Taane, comedian Jesse Mulligan, My Kitchen Rules contestants Aaron and Heather Freeman, The Almighty Johnson’s Eve Gordon, Shortland Street’s Mike Edward and TV host Petra Bagust join thousands of other Kiwis trying to survive on $2.25 of food a day as part of the annual Live Below the Line Challenge. Starting on Monday 6th October, the challenge raises money for 12 charities that help the 1.2 billion people around the world living in poverty.
For the Live Below the Line Challenge, Mulligan has set himself a fundraising target of $500 and is supporting the Tear Fund, a charity working to end human trafficking. Mulligan has also contributed to the fundraising efforts by writing a recipe for Tear Fund’s One Helping recipe book. A serving of each meal from the book costs only 75c. The book also contains recipes from Nadia Lim, Simon Gault and nutritionist Dr Libby Weaver.
Mulligan said he had had weaned himself off coffee to avoid caffeine withdrawals and was planning to visit green grocers for near-expired vegetables and a Bulk Food Mart for low-price pulses.
New Zealanders have already raised $150,000, but people in Britain, the US, Australia, Canada and Columbia are also taking part in the challenge.
Live Below the Line
• Challenges Kiwis to live below the poverty line – on $2.25 of food a day – for five days.
• Raises money for the 1.2 billion people living in poverty around the world.
• Participants can chose one of 12 charities including Oxfam, Tear Fund, the Global Poverty Project, World Vision and Engineers Without Borders.
• Sign up, donate or find out more at www.livebelowtheline.com/nz
