A Path Appears: Transforming Lives, Creating Opportunity

One of the book’s main themes is that people can donate very affordable amounts of money and still make a difference in someone’s life. We may see splashy headlines in the news media about huge amounts given to causes by philanthropists like Bill Gates, but donors don’t have to be millionaires or billionaires to be effective. The authors make a point of emphasizing this throughout the book. They cover a range of people and causes, but the message to the reader is that whatever amount one can give can have an impact.

One of the best examples of this comes in the last chapter. The authors discuss trachoma, a painful but treatable condition of the eyes. Antibiotics to cure one person over a three-year period cost only 75 cents. “Is there a better use for 75 cents?” the authors ask (306). Some people who have endured trachoma over time need more than antibiotics. A simple surgical procedure lasting 15 minutes can remedy the condition for just $40, well within the budget of many people looking to donate to a good cause. The authors tell the story of Yagare Traoré, an older Malian woman who had this procedure, and it was life-changing for her.