Around the world, 1.4 billion people are living on less than $1.25 a day.

The Global Poverty Project is an organization that is addressing this issue through its empowering presentation, 1.4 Billion Reasons, which is sweeping the globe.

1.4 Billion Reasons will be presented to Mercyhurst University on Thursday, Feb. 16, at 7 p.m. in the Taylor Little Theatre.

The presentation will provide facts and statistics about poverty in today’s world and simple steps everyone can take to help end poverty.

According to its website, the Global Poverty Project is dedicated to increasing the “number and effectiveness of people taking action to end extreme poverty.”

In 2008, the project was launched in New York City at the United Nations High Level Meeting on the Millennium Development Goals.

It currently has offices located in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. There are also communities of supporters in Mexico and the Netherlands.

The UNICEF club at Mercyhurst is sponsoring the event. The AmeriCorps*VISTA Leader for Children and Youth Project of Northwest Pennsylvania, Marta Baran, has played a predominant role in planning the event. She works at the Nonprofit Partnership and is a alumna of Mercyhurst.

This event recruited the help of the social work department as well.

“I want to share the message with everyone that we all can make small commitments every day and together fight for the end of poverty,” said Baran. “Erie is definitely a ‘Huge Heart’ Community, and so I thought that this presentation would be warmly welcomed.”

Junior Emily Iabone is one of the social work students helping with the presentation.

“After watching the video, you’re just so inspired, and it makes me want to make a difference and change the world,” said Iabone. “The presentation is going to be talking about ‘a world without extreme poverty within a generation.'”

Iabone added how it is a “big deal” that The Global Poverty Project will be presenting at Mercyhurst.

“We’re lucky they’re coming to Mercyhurst because they usually go to larger schools like Cornell, Brown and Boston University,” she said.

“Let’s speak up for justice, for extreme poverty does not need to exist at all,” said Baran. “The Global Poverty Project is coming to Mercyhurst University (and) I am looking forward for you to join us.”

To learn more about the Global Poverty Project or to get involved with the cause go to globalpovertyproject.com.