Ben Affleck To Live On $1.50 A Day To Raise Awareness Of Global Poverty

Argo director joins Live Below the Line campaign

Hollywood actor Ben Affleck is planning on living on just $1.50 (£1) a day for five days next week in order to raise awareness of global poverty.

The Argo director tweeted on Monday: '1.4 billion people live on less than $1.50/day. I’m joining Live #BelowTheLine on behalf of @easterncongo. Will you?'

The Live Below the Line challenge had over 15,000 participants last year, and this year they are expecting at least 5,000 more.

Actors Jonah Hill and Sophia Bush are also taking part, alongside singer Josh Groban and Justin Bieber’s manager Scooter Braun.

The campaign’s website suggests that people should spend their complete budget of $7.50 at the beginning of the week. 'We recommend doing research and creating a shopping list, sticking to generic stables such as pasta, lentils, rice, bread, vegetables, potatoes and oats,' it says.

British actor Tom Hiddleston took the challenge earlier this month and tweeted: 'Profoundly aware that to live truly #BelowTheLine I would have to forego many and various privileges.

'I would have to surrender the roof over my head, gas, electricity, and clean, running water.'

It’s not the first time Affleck has tried to raise awareness for Eastern Congo. In 2010 he helped start the Eastern Congo Initiative, which aims to bring social and economic development opportunities to the region.

LATEST CELEBRITY NEWS