The Two Dollar Challenge (TDC) is an organization made up almost entirely of students who are working to bring the realities of poverty into the public eye and find solutions to issues that many are passionate about. Nearly half of the world’s population lives on only $2 per day. For one week they’re asking college students to join them.

The Challenge Week is an experience designed to offer students a glimpse of how the other half of the world lives. Participants are presented with the challenge of living on $2 a day while following a number of other rules. Throughout this week students are able to raise both awareness about global poverty and funds to direct towards their own initiative. Students are empowered through the funds they raise and the networks they build with others who share in the experience.

On April 14th, Point Loma Nazarene University will embark on their second annual Two Dollar Challenge. Where students will sleep outside, only travel on foot, and prepare communal meals of rice and beans for three days. Last year’s event was quite a success and you can see what it looked like by watching the video below.

Jessica Chetsawang, leader of the Challenge for Point Loma Nazarene University shared, “Our objective is to educate the Point Loma Nazarene University campus through hosting the Two Dollar Challenge Fundraiser. It is an educational movement that engages students in the fight against global and domestic poverty. This event we will provide giving opportunities through a donation box near the event for PLNU members to donate money that will be given to the Grameen Foundation in support of economic recovery efforts in Haiti through their various partner organizations such as Fonkoze (www.fonkoze.org) at the end of the week.”

Recently the University of San Diego’s microfinance club had nearly 30 people participate in the challenge from March 23rd-25th and raised over $300. They donated the money to Foundation for Women to fund a microloan here in San Diego. Julia Norgaard, a student at the University of San Diego (USD) and leader of the club commented, “Our Two Dollar Challenge at USD was focused on four main things, raising awareness and energy about the USD microfinance club, raising awareness about extreme poverty and how fortunate we are, raising money to support The Foundation for Women, and creating an interactive, experiential learning opportunity for students to live in solidarity with the poor. The students abstained from anything that wasn’t a necessity in their lives such as texting, going on your Facebook, or driving. We also pooled our money for the challenge and lived off food only purchased from our $2 a day. We slept outside under the stars and on cardboard boxes.”

For more information on Point Loma Nazarene University’s upcoming Two Dollar Challenge or to donate to their cause today contact Jessica at [email protected]