The Myths of Poverty

Bill Gates, one of the richest people in the world and co-founder of the Gates Foundation started in their annual letter that "almost no poor countries by 2035" and that the poorest nations in the world will have child morality rates as low as the US and the UK in 1980. Bill and Melinda Gates in their letter released three myths about poverty.

The first myth is that poor countries are not doomed to stay poor. Gates believes that by the year 2035 there will be no country that will be poor and most countries will be rich or lower middle class by then. He also states that labeling nations developed or developing does not make sense. China and the Republic of Congo are both in the same category of developing nations, even though China's economy is the second largest in the world and that it should be categorized by low, middle, and high income.

The second myth they states is that foreign aid is a waste a money. Gates states that not every program is perfect and that there should be a more effective way. He also states foreign aid does not cut a large percent of the budget at all. Norway contributes the most money to foreign aid and it is only 3 percent of its budget, while the US is only 1 percent.

The last myth is that saving kid's lives leads to overpopulation. The Fact is that when kids survive, that families will have fewer kids and decide to have small families.

Gates is very optimistic about our future, I am too, and I hope more are.

More on the Myths of Poverty
The Whole Letter - http://annualletter.gatesfoundation.org/#section=home

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/no-poor-countries-by-2035-bill-gates-annual-letter-says-extreme-poverty-and-child-mortality-could-be-virtually-wiped-out-in-next-two-decades-9075149.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8UlTygCYjo