Wealth versus Poverty

In Thirst, 12-year-old Minni learns that wealth determines many aspects of a family's lifestyle. Those who are wealthy do not face the same struggles as the poor to have their basic, day-to-day needs met. Additionally, having money means having access to resources that provide a higher quality of life.

Minni is 12 years old. She lives in a very poor neighborhood in Mumbai, India. Each day, members of Minni's family stand in line to get a share of the limited water flowing through public taps in the neighborhood. Fights sometimes break out when people fear there is not enough water. Then, to make the water safe to drink, it must be boiled. The public taps are the first to go dry when the sources are limited. For Minni, this is a normal part of life in an area where monsoons that replenish the water supply...