Ben Affleck, the actor and Academy Award winning director, will be living off $1.50 per day for five days beginning next week as part of The Global Poverty Project's Live Below the Line challenge, which brings awareness to extreme poverty around the world.
The announcement was made by Affleck on his Twitter feed and on Live Below the Line's Facebook page.
"We are excited to announce that Ben Affleck will be joining us in the Live Below The Line USA challenge next week," Live Below the Line's Facebook page reads. "He will be supporting Eastern Congo Initiative."
Urgent: Should Obama Ban Guns? Vote in Poll
Other celebrities that have signed up for the challenge include actress Sophia Bush, actress Debi Mazar, and musician Josh Groban.
The challenge will not include living or travel expenses, but will require Affleck to limit all food and drink purchases to under $1.50 per day.
According to the initiatives website, 1.4 billion people around the world live below the poverty line.
The Berkeley, Calif., born actor is not one of them. He has an estimated net worth of $65 million and a combined net worth of $100 million with actress wife Jennifer Garner.
"Last year we had over 15,000 people participate, and raised over $3 million," Michael Trainer, U.S. Country Director of The Global Poverty Project, said in a statement. "We're excited to leverage the support The Global Poverty Project has received from the campaign last year, and the Global Citizen Festival in Central Park."
Affleck, whose most recent movie "Argo" won him international acclaim as a film director, will be raising awareness specifically about the humanitarian crisis in the Eastern Congo, which has been rife with war, genocide and extreme poverty for years.
In March 2010, Affleck formed the Eastern Congo Initiative, "the first U.S. based advocacy and grant-making initiative wholly focused on working with and for the people of eastern Congo," according to its website.
Special: Should the Supreme Court Legalize Gay Marriage? Vote in Urgent Poll.
Reactions to Affleck's Twitter announcement Monday were mixed, with both support and criticism.
"Africa has been recipient of 1/2 a TRILLION $ in handouts. It needs capitalism & freedom to flourish not more handouts," tweeted Michael Robertson@mp3michael12h.
Related stories:
Actor Affleck Decides Against Senate Run
Canadians Miffed at Affleck's 'Argo' Snub
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.