Faces of the poor. They have names, they have stories. What I call a challenge they call life.

From the 21st of September until the 25th, I'll spend five days simulating living below the extreme poverty line.

I'm making a big deal about it because I want to raise money and educate people. But, part of me feels bad about the fact that I have to make a big deal about this. Because millions of people live in worse conditions every day of their lives.

Let me introduce you to three of these people; Aldair, Manthasha, and Nouridine.

This is Aldair. He is twelve and a half years old, and he lives in Peru. Aldair likes football, art, and ball games. He's a normal pre-teen. He lives with his parents and four siblings. His parents get short term employment in an area where the average adult wage is about $115 per month. Parents battle daily to bring food home.

Employment opportunities are scarce in Aldair's community. Multiple families can shelter into one house. They have major problems with crime, gangs, and drug addiction. Children and teenagers like Aldair often don't feel safe. This is often another problem caused by poverty, by the lack of hope.

But there is hope for Aldair's community. Aldair has been attending a Compassion 'child development centre'. I became a correspondent sponsor for Aldair (Meaning I write him letters while somebody else pays his sponsorship) a couple of months ago. I believe young people like Aldair can make an impact on their communities, and on society as a whole, but they need a helping hand.

This is Manthasha. I have sponsored Manthasha for about a year and a half now. In September, she will turn six. Manthasha plays hide and seek, and plays with dolls. She has many friends, and draws some really lovely colourings.

She lives in a slum in Mumbai, India. I've been told about 99% of people in her area are uneducated, but Manthasha goes to school! People there earn around $60 per month from manual jobs. It's taboo for women to work, so most families have to survive on this one income. Water is also still a problem for them. Children get diarrhea from drinking dirty water. Human trafficking occurs near Manthasha's community. There have been some raids on brothels in her area.

But since Manthasha is sponsored, she has seen a doctor, gets a meal each day, school resources, and she attends lessons in her compassion centre to as well as going to school. Mothers of the sponsored children are also attending classes in literacy and sewing, and some of them have started to earn an income from that.

This is Nouridine. He lives in Burkina Faso. Nouridine likes football and outdoor games, he especially loves to play builder with mud. His favourite food is rice. He is turning six in October. Adults in his community grow crops. They earn the equivelent of $25 per month. I think this estimate was made by deviding the money they would make selling the autumn crops over the entire year.

Right now it is September, which is hungry season. The crops from last year are running low, and people are eating very little until October when they will be able to harvest their crops.

I know at least Nouridine gets a meal each time he goes to the Compassion centre. I know Nouridine and his classmates also get their medical costs, tutoring and help to learn. I hope that he can grow up to be strong and healthy, so that he can create change in his community.


I got a letter from the pastor of Manthasha's church the other day. That letter broke my heart. This little girl who I love so much, lives in such a place. I knew I was sponsoring a child in poverty, but I didn't realise it was this bad. I wish nobody had to live in those conditions. The sponsorship work of Compassion/Tear Fund in their communities is obviously the silver lining. It is the one thing that offers hope to Aldair, Manthasha, and Nouridine. Please help to raise money to offer more hope to more people who have lived below the line every day. This year fundraising from Live Below the Line is going specifically toward freeing people enslaved in sexual slavery, which adds another thick layer of hopelesness. We can break through that. Sponsor me in Live Below the Line, donate, or sign up to do the challenge yourself today!