injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

Education is the most powerful method which you can use to change the world.

~ Nelson Mandela

In a weird way I miss living on $1.25 US a day. Not because I miss being hungry (in fact I have been eating non stop), but because I miss thinking about poverty and knowing that I have to make change, ALL the time. Being hungry was a constant reminder that something is wrong in this world and that I HAVE to do something to make change.

I have been feeling a lot of helplessness lately. Just because there is so much MORE I could be doing with my time than learning about finance or studying for exams. I totally understand how important it is, but really, I just want to be out doing something meaningful. In fact ever since the roadtrip (Make Poverty History Roadtrip 2010), I have felt like all I should be doing is going out and getting signatures or organizing accommodation or dealing with itinerary issues or street campaigning or participating in a flash mob or door knocking - something meaningful and worthwhile.

Until now, post-RT depression has not hit me. But I REALLY really miss the roadtrip. I miss all the passion and enthusiasm, the chanting, the willingness to make change, the cause that has bonded all us young people together to want to do something about the injustice that is occurring. I miss heated discussions about poverty in bus trips, I miss educating ourselves on the asks, I miss waking up to a day full of action and going to sleep buzzing, knowing how worthwhile my day was. I miss arriving in Canberra and uniting with 1000 other young people who are there for the same reason. I miss people knowing and wanting to make change and understanding that our life is not just about money or university or a career - that there is something so much bigger than us.

Every single person on the roadtrip was amazing. And because of us, the Act toEnd Poverty has been passed in the House of Reps!! (sign at www.acttoendpoverty.com.au)

Before, during and after the MPH Roadtrip, we were asking everyone to sign this petition; a petition that was a call to the Australian Parliament to pass the following motion:

We reaffirm our pledge, first made in the year 2000, that we will spare no effort to free our fellow men, women and children from the abject and dehumanising conditions of extreme poverty, to which more than a billion are currently subjected.

With only five years until the international goals to address extreme poverty are due, there is now an urgent need to recommit ourselves to this task. We can and will do our fair share to achieve all the Millennium Development Goals. Our actions of the last twenty years have already succeeded in halving rates of extreme poverty. Within a generation we can and will make poverty history.

This act had a goal of 40,000 signatures. We achieved over 50,000 by the end of the week, and have now increased this goal to 100,000 signatures.

Our life-changing roadtrip was personally thanked in Australian Parliament on the 31st of May 2010 at 9.15pm. I am so proud and so privileged to have been part of something so amazing and that has made such an enormous impact on Australia and the world.

All three politicians that spoke, spoke with such passion and so positively of this movement - they even ran out of time speaking. Greg Hunt, MP for Flinders and Opposition Minister for climate change spoke incredibly about how, although there may be minor disputes on aid, we need to come together as a country to battle poverty. His speech really struck me, especially:

We will have our points of disagreement over specific programs or quantum or effectiveness, but the direction, the heft, the weight, of history is about Australia as a country contributing to the achievement and improvement of the Millennium Development Goals. These are profound human tasks and responsibilities.

..... We are amongst the very fortunate few in all of history. So many people for so much time have lived in such abject poverty that to live as we do, with all the accoutrements of the modern age—whether it is lighting, refrigeration, hygiene or any of these things—means it is our task, our duty, our responsibility, to do all that we can to provide a way forward for others.

The video of this session can be viewed at: http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/6018/p/salsa/web/common/public/content?content_item_KEY=3842

This roadtrip has changed me as a person. It has allowed me to gain confidence in myself like never before - I cannot believe all that we have achieved, and yet we are so young. I believe in myself more than I did before, all thanks to the amazing, encouraging and passionate ambassadors on the trip.

Every single person that made this trip possible, on any level, deserves to be thanked - I admire you! We are all part of something bigger, something meaningful. We really are young people working together to end global poverty. Our group of young, passionate and mobile ambassadors has illustrated to the government that we will not let this issue die. We have educated people all around Australia, we have sparked discussion and debate, we have created an amazing ripple effect all over the country. We are fighting for justice. We are helping to create a change that is going down in the history of Australia. We are helping to make history in the world, in something so important and so much bigger than we could ever imagine. We are helping to make poverty history.

We really are.

And the fact that we now believe that our generation can and will eradicate extreme poverty is the most amazing feeling.

So post-roadtrip I jumped straight into organizing Live Below the Line (new campaign name for dollar25) and so didn't stop for a break. So I think that is why it is hitting me now.

Considering differing next semester/year to do something with myself. Something worthwhile. Thoughts?

Anyway, get involved with our campaign, Live Below The Line, and you too can experience living on $1.25 US ($2 AUD) a day. It is a really humbling experience. www.livebelowtheline.com/oaktree

By living on $2 a day, you'll help Australians understand the obstacles faced by those currently living in extreme poverty. Take the challenge from 2nd-6th August and raise money for life changing education programs.

All the money from the Oaktree Foundation will go towards opening a school in a village in remote Papua New Guinea that has not had education for fifteen years.

Remember that we can make change.

Our actions can change the world, and are changing the world.

As one person you can make a difference, but as a group, you can change the world.

~ Bilaal Rajan, a 13 year old boy that has raised more than five million dollars and started campaigning at four years old (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/south_asia/10205486.stm)

Breaking News - dollar25 cut short.

I have several reasons as to why I have had to cheat a little the past few days. And why I stopped dollar25 for Friday. And why I cannot continue to do it for the next two weeks.

Each reason is legitimate, but I still cannot stop feeling like the most awful person alive.

I hope you understand. But I have exam period coming up and I cannot even concentrate in lectures anymore, let alone write an exam. So I will definitely continue this after exams, I just have to stop for now.

I will keep blogging, but I just will be eating as well.

Sorry.

Day 8&9 - act as if what you do makes a difference....

... It does.

~

8.4 million children are denied an education because they are forced to work as slaves.

Children work 16-20 hour days in conditions that are not even fit for bacteria. Their days consist of beatings and working. In some cases, they are forced to work, live, go to the toilet, eat and live their entire lives in a room no bigger than 2metres x 2metres. In other cases, they work with a tennis ball wedged under their chin. If this tennis ball falls, it is an indication they are not working hard enough and they are beaten. They are hunched over for over 16 hours a day like this. Or they are harvesting coco on the Ivory Coast, using dangerous materials and working while they should be in school.

How unfair is that.

I remember going on the End Child Slavery camp a few years ago, and learning about all these different cases and being appalled as every story became worse and worse. And these are children. Children that should be at school, playing sport and enjoying the best days of their life. Instead they have their childhood ripped forcefully away from them and are forced to work so that companies can have cheap labour and sell products to us. The consumerist, capitalist society.

I remember that camp completely changed my life. I stopped eating chocolate and coffee unless it was fairtrade and I still do that. I also completely boycotted Nestle. Nestle is one brand that I absolutely cannot stand. Although they are now making steps to improve, the things they have done, in several developing countries, is so inhumane. They have been sued countless times, and try and maintain that slavery is not against human rights.

In the 2009 Ethical Shopping Guide, it states:

Nestle

The world's largest food company, Nestle proudly proclaims "good food, good life". Nestle has been the target of strong international criticism for its aggressive marketing of infant formula in developing countries with scarce drinking water, leading to infant deaths (despite a 10-year ban by the World Health Organization).

Other Criticisms: As one of the top four global water bottling companies, for contributing to the problem of plastic waste and expropriating water that should remain a shared resource. As one of the world's largest chocolate producers, for contributing to child and forced labour problems in cocoa-growing nations.

I came home after the camp completely emotionally drained. I broke down and couldn't stop thinking: "How can people do this?"

I still wonder this. How can people consciously deny other people of their basic human rights, how can they beat a child because the child cannot cope with working more than even an adult should - how can they treat people like this and continue to do it.

I love the fact that we went on amazing roadtrip. But I wish we didn't have to. I wish the government could recognize this unfairness themselves and willingly want to make a difference.

I wish we didn't have to write songs and try and convince the world to help. Why should we have to? Why can't people just care because that is what is in our basic morals? Why can't people just give back a little bit to the world?

It is only fair that we do. It is just by chance we were born into such a lucky society. We should do what is fair by everyone - even the littlest action can make a huge difference.

Because if we are not part of the solution, then we are definitely part of the cause. To understand and to know what is going on, and to not do anything about it - that is just as bad as causing it. Buy fairtrade, sponsor a child, write a letter to a chocolate company - anything and everything helps.

And who is responsible for this appalling child slavery? Everyone.

~ Mary Harris Jones

Sorry for the long absence from blogging - I have just been super busy.

After going back to work after so long, it has been such a shock. I never really truly experienced the whole "why are people so ignorant to what is going on" feeling after the roadtrip until I went back to work. At uni all my friends are aware of what I have been doing and how I am now doing dollar25, but at work it was like entering a world completely different to mine. People are stressed over the littlest things and it is all about making money, money, money. It was a shock. A huge shock. I couldn't even explain what I have been doing.

dollar25 wise, on wednesday and thursday I have to confess - I cheated a little, tiny bit. In regards to what is happening with this, check above.....

And remember that every action, big or little, on a personal level or on a global level makes a difference.

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.

~Anne Frank

Day 7 - all the small things.

Life holds so many simple blessings, each day bringing its own individual wonder.

~ John McLeod

Appreciating the little things in life allows every day to be a good day. This is what I have found. When I have the worst morning, fighting with family and feeling upset, a random compliment from a stranger makes my day. (An elderly lady told me I had great fashion sense, and that she loved the black bow on my beret :) ). Or seeing a really happy lady get on the bus, even though you could tell she had been rushing and now has to go to work.

It is sometimes so easy to forget how beautiful every day is. I know how corny this is probably sounding, but just take a minute to yourself each day, and reflect on the little things that made getting out of bed worthwhile.

I found a website called 'gives me hope' (http://www.givesmehope.com/). Its slogan is "FML for Optimists". I love it. It makes all the small things in life so meaningful. I found a few really nice ones:

"Last month, we visited my grandmother. She has a strange case of Alzheimer's.

When she denied being married, my grandfather looked up. We could tell this killed him inside.

Instead of getting angry, he stood up, walked over to her bed and asked her out again.

His love for her GMH. "

&

"I saw an old Catholic priest being helped up the church steps by a young man.

At the top he turned to the young man and said "God bless you."

The young man smiled nervously and said "I'm Muslim."

The priest smiled back and said "Allah bless you then."

Their religious tolerance GMH."

&

"My 10-year-old sister ran in the Special Olympics this year.

We thought she got 2nd place, until the awards ceremony where they told us that the little girl in first was disqualified for running too fast.

After receiving her Gold Medal, my sister went to the little girl and gave her the medal, and said she'd earned it.

Thoughtful little girls GMH."

I really like this website, because it shows how people really do appreciate the little things. You can see the little things in life that give people hope to keep going. Some of the circumstances on the website are so upsetting, yet the things that give these people hope are so inspiring. Because even in the worst times, they manage to hope.

I really like how it is the complete opposite of FML (f*** my life). Sure, the website is funny for laughs, but it makes every little thing that goes bad seem so important and when people say it in real life, I wish they would realize how lucky they are and to stop complaining about such trivial things.

Because it is complaining about such little things that make our days bad and makes people unhappy. Yet it is the appreciation of the little and simple things that can uplift our spirits and allow us to enjoy the day and feel as though we love life.

It is actually a trick that some pyschiatrists use: at the end of the day, you write down three good things about your day, and three things you are looking forward to for the next day. Whether you need a pyschiatrist or not, I think this can work for anyone.

On a personal note, I feel like such a crazy activist at the moment. I am pretty sure that most of my friends now think I am about to start tying myself to trees. I am constantly talking about poverty, or bringing out my ethical shopping guide or wearing slogan shirts. And although there is nothing wrong with that, I have always been one about balance. But I feel so guilty nowadays, indulging in myself, or enjoying too much, because I know I have this responsibility and this committment to the world. And I know I shouldn't feel guilty, but I do.

On a dollar25 note, I think my stomach has shrunk. Because I am never really hungry anymore. I just know I need food, or I start to feel dizzy. My bananas that I bought were about to become overripe, so I made some banana bread out of them. I had some leftover money in my budget for this week. I actually got the recipe from Richard Flemmings blog, extremepovertydiet.com, and it tastes amaaaaaaazing.

Speaking of Richard Flemming, he was actually my inspiration for doing dollar25 for a month, and apparently he is doing it now for three months, so good on him!! Seeing such amazing people doing such meaningful things really inspires me.

Anyway. I recommend randomly complimenting a stranger, because you never know whose day you could make.

Live as if you were to die tomorrow.
Learn as if you were to live forever.

~ Ghandi

Day 6 - "can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky are like shooting stars?...

...i could really use a wish right now."

How do we get through our darkest hours? How do we move past despair and depression? How do we manage to get up in the morning, even though we would prefer to sink into our own world in bed?

Hope. Belief. Faith.

Remember when you were younger and you used to believe in fairies? And Santa? And the Easter Bunny? I sure remember. I remember always making a wish when seeing a shooting star. And when throwing coins into fountains. And when driving in tunnels with a train going by on top. And upon finding an eyelash. And remember how you could never tell anyone because otherwise it would never come true?

I always wished for the same thing - for everyone in the world to be happy. Whether that meant that they were fed, or loved - just happy. I always hoped it would one day happen, and I still wish for the same thing.

My mum told me that she wished for no more wishes. Because she thought people wished too much for what they wanted and for things they didn't need.

Do you believe in hallucinations? Silly dreams or imaginations?

~ Angels and Airwaves

Personally, I still always wish and hope and believe in the silly imaginations. Maybe it was a childhood thing that one should grow out of, but I don't think so. My favourite restaurant, an amazing Italian one, has a fountain, and every single time we used to go when we were younger, my sister and I always would badger my parents for change so we could throw it in the fountain and make a wish. I still do.

I think it is so important to have belief and hope and faith.

I know it is so cliche, but I just want to know: do you look at the glass half full or half empty?

I just think that it is so easy to fall into a cycle of cynicism. And to think that nothing will change, and things will always stay this way, and a group of such young people can make no change. It is so easy to say that it is not our problem. It is so easy to say we hate the human race and people will always cause unfairness. It is so easy to say that there is destruction everywhere. It is so easy to blame other people and to believe the worst - perhaps so we don't get disappointed.

I know in my life I have been guilty many times of lowering my expectations or expecting the worse and of losing belief, just so that I won't be disappointed.

I just think this is the worst way to think and live though - for anyone. It is so easy to be that way, yet we need to challenge ourselves. Sure, there may be a lot of unfairness and horrible people - yet if we live our whole lives believing the worst in people, where will this get us?

We need to understand that anything in this world is possible and we can make it happen - we just need to have that faith. Faith in ourselves, that we can make change and that we can do whatever we set our mind to. Faith in each other, that we won't let each other down and that not everyone is a bad person. And faith in the human race, that working together, we can do amazing things.

We need to keep on moving. Life can totally suck sometimes, but we need to remind ourselves of how lucky we are, and that we are surrounded by loving people and that if we just reach out, there is someone there. Just for our own internal health, we need to keep this faith, and believe that things will be okay, one day.

Because what doesn't kill us, only makes us stronger.

Man can live about forty days without food, about three days without water, about eight minutes without air, but only for one second without hope.

~ Anonymous

As an entire world, we need to have hope and faith that we can make change, because we are so powerful, and we have the resources, so we just really need to do it now. We have enough food to feed the world 1.5 times over. We have the money. We have the ability to make change and to fix everything that needs fixing. Even if you don't entirely believe poverty can be ended in our generation, you can hope for it. Why not?

I believe we can do it.

dollar25 today was actually really okay. I ate more than I normally would! I went shopping yesterday for this weeks food, and I bought heaps of CARBS. So bad, I know. I bought 3 packets of pasta, 2 loaves of bread, 2 kg of bananas and 3 cans of baked beans. I actually have stayed full all day!

Breakfast: 2 toasts and a banana

Lunch: 250g of pasta, 2 pieces of bread, some baked beans

Snacks: A piece of bread and a banana

Dinner: 250g of pasta, 2 pieces of bread, some baked beans

I think I have narrowed down the challenge of this campaign for me. At the moment it is not about being hungry. The major challenges are:

- Lack of choice/freedom: I miss being able to buy what I want, when I want. To feel like something and to just get it.

- Flavours and taste: I think we underestimate how lucky we are. So much enjoyment can be had from eating tasty and flavour-filled foods, and I miss that. Enjoyment from plain pasta and toast only lasts for so long.

Confession: I had some really strong medication and the taste was making me almost throw up so I had 2 blocks of chocolate. The meds were costly so I couldn't throw them up. Sorry :(

Anyway. In the words of Bon Jovi, keep the faith.

And in the words of Albert Einstein:

Learn from yesterday,

Live for today,

Hope for tomorrow.

Day 5 - "if you judge people, you have no time to love them."

Clearly, we are all different. Our hair colour, eye colour, race, gender, belief system, religion, childhood, job, music taste, passions - everything. Every single person is so unique to this planet and every single person has experienced a life that is their own, individual to themselves and have thoughts and experiences that no one can take away from them.

What I don't understand is why people war and fight and kill over differences. I don't understand why we can't just let people live and let live. Why must we condemn someone because of their sexuality? Or race? Or religion? What effect does their belief have on our life? I think religion can be a really great way of expressing beliefs, but I just think wars that have been over religion are so pointless and stupid.

Sure, if someone is forcing themselves and their belief down your throat, it is okay to not like that. But there are extremists in every religion and race. That does not mean we should generalise. Generalisations, even as a joke, in fact especially as a joke, are still awful. We really need to consider the effect our actions have on other peoples lives, and that maybe our one comment, that was just a joke, is really not. And it really has hurt or affected someone.

I may be a massive idealist but I just think we should love people for who they are - both on a personal and global level. No need for pretences, no need to worry about what we look like to other people, in any manner, - because, when it comes down to it, how different are we really?

We're all someones daughter, we're all someones son...

~ John Farnham

Isn't it true though? Who cares what colour your skin is! Who cares about who you love! We are all the same. So let us just love.

If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.

~ Mother Teresa

I love that quote. It is so true. Helping each other, we are helping ourselves, and our future, as a human race and our children and grandchildren. So why not?

On another more personal note, what do you do when things don't go your way? I found out some not-so-good news yesterday and I just don't know what to do. Obviously in life we can't always get what we want. It doesn't mean that it doesn't suck though. I suppose I just have to keep moving and look beyond it.

As for uni in my life, I am completely hating it at the moment. Everything seems so trivial, especially after the roadtrip. I am so un-motivated, and I just don't care about it. I have found my passion, and what I want to do in my life, why should I do anything else? Truthfully I actually do understand why I have to go to uni and study. But I just don't really want to. Why should I be listening about finance when all I really want to do is save the world?!

So on a dollar25 note, I am posting this the day after day 5 because I had a jam packed day yesterday. I found yesterday that eating dinner for lunch and lunch for dinner helps because then I am fuller for longer during the day. However, I went out with friends last night and absolutely STARVED. As soon as it was midnight though, I totally pigged out. Not the greatest idea, but so worth it!

I felt so bad doing that though. When can a starving child pig out? And I mean, I have been doing this for only 5 days - suck it up Priyani. 1.4 billion people do it every single day. I know I keep saying that but I just keep reminding myself that. We are really just so incredibly lucky, and I know I shouldn't feel guilty about that, but we should just remind ourselves of that once in awhile so we can forget the trivial stuff. Let's stop complaining for a little while. I know I really want to try.

So I am taking the weekend off. Back to dollar25 (or really, dollar83) on Monday. Not looking forward to it, but at the same time, I am. I have really enjoyed thinking a lot more about poverty and the different dimensions of it. And I am now sure, more than ever, that it just has got to be ended. We don't even have a choice. It needs to be eradicated, and it needs to be done now. Let's do it.

I will say good bye to you for the weekend and leave you with a quote that I have seen at the Oaktree office that inspires me every single day....

They say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.

~ Andy Warhol

Day 4 - "good actions give strength to ourselves and inspire good actions in others."

Who inspires YOU?

And who is inspired by you?

Imagine how many people have been inspired by us, if we have done a good deed or made someones day. Imagine the knock on effect we could have had on someones life, without even realizing.

We all have the ability to inspire others, whether it is inspiring someone to do something they never thought they would, inspiring a lifestyle choice, a way of living, or just being inspired to be a better person. I found so many sites on the internet, "Top 10 ways to inspire people", "8 tips to inspiring people" - but I think that really, in my personal opinion, there is no formula. We just need to be the best possible people we can be. Life is so short, and so unstable, so unpredictable, and it is not like anyone gets out alive anyway, so we need to forget all the little things and troubles, and focus on happiness, of our own and of everyone else's.

Do what you love - fuck the rest.

~ Little Miss Sunshine

One person that has inspired me to be a better person is Tom O'Connor.... On the roadtrip (the Make Poverty History Roadtrip 2010) we had run out of toilet paper, and so my group and I went to Coles to buy some. Tom was in our bus and so he and I went inside. I have never seen someone be SO nice and so considerate to the checkout girl. I know it is only a really little thing, but the way that Tom was so genuinely kind, and used her name, and asked about her day - I know, if I was her, it would have made my day. Amidst all the other angry customers, the few nice ones always stand out.

Ever since then, I have tried to be a nicer, kinder person to anyone and everyone I come across, because it just makes life that much better. I know how little his action was, but it was such an eye-opener to me, and I am now forever inspired by his one action to be a better person.

Another group of people that inspired (and continue to inspire) me was my group on the roadtrip. Alex T, Alex C, Kate, Maddy, Stevie, Jackie and Jen - WOW. No words could explain my love for them. Every single one of these girls has inspired me to be a better person and have helped me believe in myself. They are each so unique and so intelligent and I feel like the luckiest group leader ever. They helped me whenever I needed and always tried to face up to the difficulties the trip threw at us.

And every single person at Oaktree inspires me. The passion that such young people have for making a difference is incredible. It is the best feeling in the world being part of such an amazing organization - I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Today was really difficult dollar25 wise (as everyday seems to be). I took the day off uni, to study, which totally failed. I started feeling weak because of the lack of food, and so I slept for a majority of the day. I was also told that because of OH&S I am not allowed to do this challenge for a month! Or I will fall sick. Which is awful, because I really wanted to. Just quietly, I am kind of relieved though.

But as much as I am hating this, I just keep thinking - 1.4 billion people (that is one FIFTH of the worlds population) is living like this every single day. And they have no other choice. This is a sickening, awful, aggravating and saddening thought. It is the most unjust, unfair thing in the world and therefore ending poverty should be the highest priority of every developed nation.

Poverty of course is a crime. Poverty is a discrimination. Poverty is worse than racism. Poverty is a social injustice. Poverty is a prison. Poverty is a destruction of human dignity. Poverty is a condemnation to death. I dream of that time when poverty is ended and I know it will be during my lifetime!

~Alphonse Toussaint

Let's change the world.

Let's make history.

Let's make poverty history.

ps. I will be setting up a sponsorship page soon to sponsor my starving of myself. [WATCH THIS SPACE]