Over 1.4 billion people live on less than $1.25 a day (Singer 7). In poor nations, life expectancy is less than fifty, compared to the average of seventy-eight years in rich nations. The infant mortality rate is twenty times higher in “less developed” countries than in developed countries. Nearly 18 million people die every year from preventable poverty-related causes (UNICEF). On the other hand, in 2007 there were more than 1,100 billionaires in the world (Singer 9). According to Singer, “[there] are about a billion [people] living at a level of comfort never before known, except in the courts of kings and nobles” (9). Peter Singer insists in his book, The Life You Can Save: Acting Now to End World Poverty, that there is no reason why the rich shouldn't give up some of their income to help the poor achieve a sustainable lifestyle. Looking at these statistics, who could say I have an extreme point of view? With so many resources and so much money to give, helping those in need requires nothing more than a simple action. Giving up a few unnecessary luxuries to potentially save the lives of more than one child wouldn't kill anyone. However, would this really benefit the poor? Ignoring the impoverished will leave them in their current situation; Helping them excessively will lead them to rely on others. The real solution to this ongoing crisis lies in microloans. Developed countries should not simply hand over money to third world countries, as this offers no incentive to develop responsible government or fiscal policies. Dambisa Moyo, an international economist from Zambia, comments on foreign aid, stating that “aid is easy money” (Collier). If a person gave a small sum of m... half of paper to a needy man... starting a business by lending money through microloans reduces poverty permanently. Works Cited Collier, Paul. “Dead Help, by Dambisa Moyo.” Rev. of Dead Aid, by Dambisa Moyo. The Independent 30 January 2009. Web. .Shah, Anup.“Poverty Facts and Stats.”Global Issues. 20 September 2010. Web. 10 January 2012. .SingerUNICEFhttp://www.starvation.net/http://www.realityofaid.orgWorld Bankhttp://www.ilo.org/global/lang--en/index.htm #a3O'Hanlon, Ellis. “Aid is not the only answer to Third World problems.” Irish Independent News.KivaErase PovertyCollect Educate Advance (CEA)"How aid works (or doesn't work)." African Affairs February 2009: 22+. Gale Student Resources in Context. Network. January 16. 2012.