Summary

Kristof and WuDunn write that when they were first married they met a young girl, Dai Manju, in the Dabie Mountains of central China. The family had no electricity, running water or any form of transportation. Kristof and WuDunn learned that Dai’s parents were illiterate and that they saw no reason for a girl to be educated so she was forced to drop out of school after fifth grade. Although she had no pencils or papers, she had been the star pupil in her class.

Kristof wrote an article in the New York Times about Dai. A generous reader was inspired and wired $10,000 to pay for her tuition. Kristof and WuDunn report that Dai graduated from elementary school, high school and accounting school. She obtained a good-paying job and helped her parents build a large new house. The money covered...