When we say that poverty is relative, do we ever really try to "relate" to it?

This year five of us from Middleton Grange did! Live Below the Line is a challenging simulation activity, in which participants limit their food and drink budget to $2.85NZD per day. $14.25 over five days offers a glimpse into the lives of the 767 Million of fellow humans “living on the poverty line.”

No, you can’t eat stuff from your cupboard. No, you can’t eat something that’s given to you. No, you can’t supplement the menu from your garden. These are a few of the questions (temptations?!) that arise immediately when you sign up.

“For those blessed with some skills in mathematics, it’s possible to create a varied menu. But I just ate the same thing every day: rolled oats for brekkie, pumpkin on couscous for lunch and red-lentil dhal for tea.” – Matt Lawrence

"Its hard watching youth group eating chips. The first time plum jam was handy." - Mackenzie Hoskins

"I won chocolate at youth group, I have never looked at chocolate that way before.  We were at a church meeting and there was food at the end. I kept asking when can we eat?  I thought it was $2.48!!! A few cents can change it all" - Michael McKellar

The start of the week was tough. I suddenly realized how free we are to snack and how surrounded by food we are in New Zealand society. Limitations to our freedom seem offensive at first. However as the donations increased, so did the encouragement and willpower! The six of us managed to raise over $2000 for Tearfund’s work in the Solomon Islands, India, Mongolia, Ethiopia and the Philippians.

The donations are open until the end of April, so check it out if you want to support: https://www.livebelowtheline.org.nz/fundraisers/middletongrangeschool