When the women were able to time and space their pregnancies, they were more likely to advance their education, earn an income, raise healthy children, and have the time and money to give each child their food, care, and education needed to thrive.
-- Melinda Gates (Chapter One: The Lift of a Great Idea paragraph N/A)

Importance: This quote sums up the initial thought that pushed Bill and Melinda Gates to start their foundation and give them a starting point to tackle poverty. While this is just one of the many ideas that Melinda explores over the book, this establishes how important it is to give women the choice if and when to have children. For some, this is a difficult concept, as many believe that contraceptives is the same as abortion. However, Melinda argues that they are the only way to save the lives of both children and their families. Using contraceptives is not about stifling life. It’s about allowing it to...