Why do something so stupid???

As the Australian Manager of the Global Poverty Project, I have seen the presentation 1.4 billion reasons over 50 times now (yes there are many sections that I recite in my sleep).

However every time I see it, I am still astonished by the figure 1.4 billion people living in extreme poverty. I visualise the populations of India and China and I cannot believe that the equivilant population size live in extreme poverty - be that 1/5th of the worlds total population.

Whilst I can try to comprehend the size of the population living in extreme poverty, I do not think that I really comprehend the severity of extreme poverty.

In '1.4 billion reasons' we remove the monetary value of extreme poverty and focus on the 'lack of choice' that it provides the individual. Noting that it can only just buy your basic meal (2 bowls of rice and vegetables), what happens when a family member becomes sick, who pays for you children's school fees??? This is the lack of choice they face.

So even though I have lived within poor developing countries - the stupid thing that I am about to do is spend the next month getting by on less than $1.25 (USD) a day.

I have made many stupid decisions in my life... however this one might just top it off!