Global Poverty Project Brings Message of Ending Extreme Poverty to UK

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 23, 2013) ― Ending extreme poverty around the world is the goal of Global Poverty Project (GPP), which brings its message to the University of Kentucky this week.  Global Poverty Project representatives will make a multi-media presentation at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 25, in Room 148 of the Gatton College of Business and Economics.  UK's student chapter of Habitat for Humanity is sponsoring the event that is free and open to the public.

Melissa Riepe, logistics coordinator for the the GPP Spring Tour, says the presentation examines the seriousness of extreme poverty in the world.

"There are 1.2 billion people in the world living in extreme poverty. That's 1.2 billion people living on less than $1.50 a day," Riepe said.  "Our presentation will address five questions surrounding this issue:  What is extreme poverty?  Can we do anything about?  What are the barriers to ending extreme poverty?  Why should we care?  And what can we do?"

Riepe said efforts to end extreme poverty are working.  The 1.2 billion figure was announced by the World Bank last week and is down from 1.4 billion in 2008, part of an overall trend in extreme poverty reduction over the last 30 years.

“We are thrilled by this progress,” Riepe said.  “This definitely sustains our enthusiasm at Global Poverty Project to continue our work of educating people and mobilizing them to address this major world problem.”

GPP works around the world to educate people about extreme poverty and to gain support for taking action to end it.   The organization is campaigning for government, business and consumer action that will create important systemic change for the world’s extreme poor.

"We expect this to be a very enlightening program," said Emily Andrews, UK Habitat for Humanity president.  "Global Poverty Project shares the same vision as Habitat for Humanity -- to improve the lives of people around the globe who are struggling."