Surviving On 30 Нryvnias (26 SEK) a Day

There are two million Ukrainians who, according to trade union data, live on the official minimum wage of Hr 907 ($115) a month or Hr 30 ($3.70) a day. The minimum wage is the basic financial unit the government uses to set other financial targets, such as pensions, student stipends, social subsidies and other payments guaranteed by the laws of Ukraine. Five volunteers agreed to live for a month off minimum wage, one made it. They can’t chat with their friends over a cup of coffee. They can’t afford meat. They can’t buy new shoes before the old ones fall apart. What they can do is eat a lot of cheap noodles and bread. They sleep in order not to feel hungry. That means they sleep a lot. They don’t live. They survive.

Read their fascinating stories at
http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/91318/