Below THE BREADLINE

“In Zimbabwe, I saw people who lived on one meal of Sadsa a day, every day. No variety. And they were grateful for that. At least they had a meal a day. That’s when I knew what I had to do.”

Catherine Falconer, Edinburgh, has been an intern with Christian Aid for almost a year. Working mainly as a youth advocate with the youth worker, she has been concerned with raising awareness about poverty and injustice among all sectors of the community, in Scotland and abroad.

She was given the chance to visit Zimbabwe to look at the work Christian Aid is does there with three partner projects. Over a billion people worldwide are living in extreme poverty. That’s 20 times the population of the UK living on the equivalent of around £1 a day.

“I decided, as part of ‘Bite back at Hunger’ Christian Aid Week this year, I would take their ‘Live Below The Poverty Line Challenge’, living for a week on just £1 a day for food. I’m going to be sponsored with the money going towards the campaign funds. I’m going to blog and maintain a website where I can keep people updated with my progress.

 “It hope it will help me, and others, think in a personal way about the millions across the world for whom living below the line is a daily reality.

 “During my visit I saw the incredible things the projects supported by Christian Aid are doing. We work with three principal partners there.

“It was an enriching experience, and made me more determined than ever to do something myself to raise awareness, so, challenge accepted!”

Once she starts her challenge, you can follow Catherine’s progress or donate here.

This is an abridged version of the full article which appears in May’s Life and Work Magazine. Subscribe to the magazine of the Church of Scotland here.