Could you survive on $2 for 36 hours?

The Trockman Microfinance Initiative is sponsoring the Two Dollar Challenge, in which participants must live on $2 a day for 36 hours to raise awareness of global poverty and microfinance. IU students will participate in the national event from 8 a.m. today to 8 p.m. Thursday.

“We go 36 hours living on $2 a day because over half the world lives on under $2 a day,” said Thomas Weber, publicity chairman for the Two Dollar Challenge.

This is the second year IU is participating in the event after last year’s success, Weber said.

Students cannot use electronics such as cell phones or showers or hygiene comforts besides public restrooms, Weber said.

“I think it is really cool to see what it would be like to not be so fortunate,” he said. “We take it for granted everyday that we can eat whatever we want, we can sleep for the night in a warm bed and to realize that over half the world doesn’t have the same things as we have just changes your perspective a little bit.”

While the event this year is not open to anyone, Weber said any person could do it on their own.

“We definitely want to expand it in the future,” he said.

Donations will also be accepted to be able to give a loan to someone
trying to start a business in a developing country, Weber said.

“It’s not the central focus, but we are going to help find a microloan,” he said.
While participants are not allowed to sleep in Dunn Meadow for the night and they do have to find other public areas to sleep, Weber said there would be someone in Dunn Meadow to help spread awareness.

“The goal is in part to make us realize what it would be like to live on $2 a day and at the same to raise awareness of the idea of microfinance,” he said.

Weber said the event allows him to incorporate helping the world into his business classes.

“I joined the microfinance initiative because I wanted to find a way to use the business knowledge I am learning at Kelley to help make the world a better place,” he said. “I really wanted to get involved with it.”