Promises hit 2,000 mark

livesimply reaches a landmark with its 2,000th promise online - from someone promising to eat less chocolate, if 30 other people join in – with the money saved donated to charity

Over the past year, 2,000 people have taken up the challenge to make a promise and change something in their life to help end poverty and protect the environment.

The livesimply promise website asks users to pledge to alter one aspect of their lives and then encourage other people to do so as well.

In this way people can link up united through their promises - as the decisions we take as consumers and citizens affect poor communities thousands of miles away.

Online community

Promises range from pledges to adopt more environment-friendly lifestyles, to commitments to pray regularly.

Branislava Milosevic, CAFOD’s new media manager, says: "The concept of livesimply promises has always been to create an online community of people concerned about global poverty who are prepared to change something in their behaviour to help fight injustice.

"It's been amazing to see how this small social network has grown over the past year, and we’re very excited about what will happen in the future."

Mark Woods, livesimply co-ordinator, adds: "I am really pleased that livesimply has reached its 2,000th promise on the website, averaging out at almost 40 people a day committing themselves.

"This is phenomenal, especially when you consider that they don’t necessarily know each other in person – they’re united by faith, and that’s what’s most important."

In March 2008, the LiveIt! conference in Manchester will celebrate livesimply, and give people from across the UK an opportunity to meet each other in person, and re-commit to the challenge.

Find out more and book tickets >>

For more information, contact Tim Sowula on 020 7095 5561 or 07908 20 77 49

take action

Advent Appeal 2008 Please send a message of support to kids this Advent at a special school run by a CAFOD partner

Shine a light in the darkness Please sign our petition calling on the world's largest mining company to listen to communities in the Philippines worried about the effect mining will have on their land - plus send a personal message of solidarity to the people of Macambol

Buy a World Gift Browse our new range of alternative gifts that act as two presents in one – something for you to give to friends or a relative, while the real gift changes the life of someone living in poverty