This poignant international series of television documentaries shows what it means to live under the poverty line. The series chronicles people as they face diverse challenges, from finding basic needs like clean water, to competing in international markets.

The main characters in the series are people like Maria Cabana in Bolivia, Kurshida Bano in India, Bulewla Sima in South Africa, Sédou Dembele in Mali, Li Jieli in China and Redjo Seferovic in Bosnia. It is their stories and the stories of their husbands, wives, and children. Each represents one of the 1.2 billion people in the world living on less that a dollar a day. They live in rural villages and in urban shanty towns, and all are typical: they have few belongings, limited education, little access to jobs or capital, and are ruled by heavily indebted governments that lack the capacity or effective plans to help their poorest citizens.