People may not find it easy to imagine the pains of hunger, the roaring grumble of an unsatisfied stomach that has to be ignored because sustenance is scarce. The Experience Poverty Challenge beckons those living at a higher and more generous standard to cross the economic threshold and step into the shoes, or lack thereof, of a person living in poverty daily.

The general challenge is to simply spend three days living on only $1.50. The provisions that can be bought on this insignificant amount seem near to none, but that is the point. The goal of the challenge is for those participating to be sponsored for his or her participation. Funds received for fulfilling the terms of the challenge go to a sponsored charity.

The sponsored charity is the Deworm the World Initiative. This charity focuses its efforts on the provision of life-saving medicines to those who live in poverty, conditions where individuals can hardly afford food, let alone healthcare.

Half of the world spends $2.50 or less on food a day and this quantity of income highly suggests an inability to afford basic healthcare. Furthermore, the charity does not limit its expectations and goals to resolving a lack of healthcare issues produced by poverty.

The Deworm the World Initiative aims to tackle poor living conditions as a whole through the “Evidence Action Beta” (EAB) approach. “Beta,” in this case, refers to the “beta” testing solutions that focus on efforts that have been tested and proven to maximize results and minimize possible consequences of intervention.

This means research-based solutions. An example of this is seen in the charity’s approach towards what they call “seasonal hunger.” During certain times of the year, some developing countries experience famine due to changing environmental conditions. One working solution that EAB noticed was a success with travel subsidies for work migration.

These travel subsidies would allow individuals to leave their families during these seasonal famines and work in neighboring locations. This would allow the families to receive capital and resources from the work-migrating individuals, which would show improvements in consumption and nutrition in these affected areas.

In order to participate in this challenge and support this innovative charity, one can visit www.experiencepoverty.causevox.com.

– Felicia L. Warren

Sources: WTXL, Experience Poverty, Evidence Action
Photo: Experience Poverty