THE MOMENT OF LIFT by Melinda Gates

"The Moment of Lift" by Melinda Gates unfolds many critical topics from empowering mothers to family planning, keeping girls in school, child marriage and women in the workplace.
Apart from her work and involvement in the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, she opens up about how she evolved from a career woman to a mother and to one of the most well known advocates for gender equality and equal opportunity.
The most touching and heart-breaking part of the book is when she shares lessons and stories from her travels. One particular example is a mother's helplessness on being refused permission to get her two-year-old daughter treated for acute malnutrition at the government’s free centre because she was needed at home to cook for her husband’s family: “If God takes away one child, he always gives another one. God is very great and generous in this respect.”
Contraception and family planning for all women across the world is the key component to uplifting women’s lives: “When women are able to time and space their pregnancies, they are more likely to advance their education, earn an income, raise healthy children, and have the time and money to give each child the food, care, and education needed to thrive. When children reach their potential, they don’t end up poor. This is how families and countries get out of poverty. In fact, no country in the last fifty years has emerged from poverty without expanding access to contraceptives.”
Melinda concludes her book highlighting that equality is just a milestone and that the supreme goal for humanity it's in fact connection.

“Love is what makes us one.
Love is what lifts us up.”