2014 Gates Annual Letter: Myths About Foreign Aid

25Jan2014 [links]

Brilliant essay from Bill & Melinda Gates, on myths about poverty and foreign aid: 3 Myths That Block Progress For The Poor

It’s inspirational even, just seeing what progress has and is being made. Lots of good stuff on the impact of aid. But for me the real clincher was Melinda Gates on population and birth control (direct link):

Anxiety about the size of the world population has a dangerous tendency to override concern for the human beings who make up that population.

Saving lives doesn’t lead to overpopulation. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Creating societies where people enjoy basic health, relative prosperity, fundamental equality, and access to contraceptives is the only way to secure a sustainable world. We will build a better future for everyone by giving people the freedom and the power to build a better future for themselves and their families.