PeterDavis

Life in poverty is hardest when those around you have what they desire, you do not have the basics.  I think personally at least 1% of our GDP should go to combating poverty.  Ideally more.  We are making good progress at least with the 0.7% target by 2013.  I also believe the best way out is through education, without which poverty will remain, long after instant intervention is applied.  The best way for someone to escape the poverty trap is to be provided with the means of escape.

This last weeks challenge has been achievable but difficult.  Cravings for rich foods like chocolate and proper electric lighting were difficult to overcome. 

Life is hard in poverty.  We should be a good samaritan and help those in need.

Pete

Contunually hungry still, craving sweet stuff.  Everything i can't have.

Fed up of the dark at home.

Looking forward to be out of poverty.

The key to escape poverty in my view is education.

- Have bought some more candles today.  Fell asleep with a candle lit...  Lighting with candles is dangerous and seriously annoying!

- I'm missing sweet foods and savoury food treats. 

- I'm also missing using a computer during the evenings for organising life and entertainment.

- Perhaps the worst thing about poverty is knowing that many others do not have to endure the same hardships. Some live like kings, often among paupers.

The wind is howling at the door, the rain battering the windows.  We are sat on the sofa under a duvet to keep warm, difficult with no central heating.  Just cooked tea and will wash up soon.  Then the power is out, back to the cold dark night...

A little melodramatic... but true.  I also awoke unusually at 3.30am having fallen asleep at 9.30 last night.  So I read, tried to sleep and read a bit more.  I'm quite bored of only reading.  But alas I'm not allowed on the power consuming computer except to blog.  So I read until I went to work. 

Today I have been missing my KitKat with coffee during break.  I've also been feeling hungry all day with the 'minimalist' food diet.  Alas, it could be far worse!

Things we are doing:

1. No heating

2. Basic Food, e.g. rice and small chicken portion, small chicken portion rice and beans, rice and chicken, etc...  Porridge and water for breakfast, cheap bread and basic filling for lunch

3. 1 hr of power and hot water per day

4. No car

N.B. except at work, i work in a lab so is not feasible!

Comments after day 1:

• This reminds me of my young life in a 1980's council house.  No heating except for a coal fire...  Avoiding the call of the utility companies...
• Whilst brushing my teeth i blew out my candle, rather awkward
• Candlelight is next to useless for many tasks.
• Cheap bread is rather stodgy!