An eighteen-month-old boy sleeps in a hammock at a construction site in Mumbai September 19, 2005. [About 260 million Indians live in abject poverty and around two-thirds of the country's billion plus-people depend on agriculture.] 

An eighteen-month-old Indian boy of a labourer sleeps in a hammock at a construction site in Mumbai, previously known as Bombay, September 19, 2005. [About 260 million Indians live in abject poverty and around two-third of the country's billion plus-people depend on agriculture.] 

A one-year-old Indian girl cries for her mother who works at a building construction site in Mumbai, previously known as Bombay, September 19, 2005. [About 260 million Indians live in abject poverty and around two-thirds of the country's billion-plus people depend on agriculture.] 

An eighteen-month-old boy sleeps in a hammock at a construction site in Mumbai September 19, 2005. About 260 million Indians live in abject poverty and around two-thirds of the country's billion plus-people depend on agriculture. REUTERS/Adeel Halim VM/KS 

An eighteen-month-old Indian boy of a labourer rests in a hammock at a construction site in Mumbai, previously known as Bombay, September 19, 2005. About 260 million Indians live in abject poverty and around two-third of the country's billion plus-people depend on agriculture. REUTERS/Adeel Halim VM/mk 

An eighteen-month-old Indian boy of a labourer sleeps in a hammock at a construction site in Mumbai, previously known as Bombay, September 19, 2005. About 260 million Indians live in abject poverty and around two-third of the country's billion plus-people depend on agriculture. REUTERS/Adeel Halim VM/mk 

A one-year-old Indian girl cries for her mother who works at a building construction site in Mumbai, previously known as Bombay, September 19, 2005. About 260 million Indians live in abject poverty and around two-thirds of the country's billion-plus people depend on agriculture. REUTERS/Adeel Halim AH/AD/mk 

Bangladeshi garment workers sit on boat as they cross the river Buriganga on their way to work in factories in Dhaka. Bangladeshi garment workers sit on a boat as they cross the river Buriganga on their way to work in factories in Dhaka September 13, 2005. Bangladesh had total export earnings of $7.6 billion in the fiscal year to June 2004. Garments alone accounted for $5.69 billion, or 75 percent, government officials in Dhaka said. Most of the nearly 2 million workers in the garment sector are rural women trying to escape abject poverty. REUTERS/Rafiqur Rahman 

Indian children sift through a garbage dump on the outskirts of New Delhi August 24, 2005. [India plans to spend nearly $15 billion to fight poverty but analysts say a poor track record of implementing past schemes raises doubts that even a third of the money will trickle down to the right people. Nearly 260 million of India's 1.1 billion people live in abject poverty, despite economic growth of 6 percent a year since reforms started in 1991.] 

An Indian girl carries things she collected from a garbage dump on the outskirts of New Delhi August 24, 2005. [India plans to spend nearly $15 billion to fight poverty but analysts say a poor track record of implementing past schemes raises doubts that even a third of the money will trickle down to the right people. Nearly 260 million of India's 1.1 billion people live in abject poverty, despite economic growth of 6 percent a year since reforms started in 1991.] 

Indian children sit on a garbage dump on the outskirts of New Delhi August 24, 2005. India plans to spend nearly $15 billion to fight poverty but analysts say a poor track record of implementing past schemes raises doubts that even a third of the money will trickle down to the right people. Nearly 260 million of India's 1.1 billion people live in abject poverty, despite economic growth of 6 percent a year since reforms started in 1991. REUTERS/Kamal Kishore KK/mk 

Indian children sift through a garbage dump on the outskirts of New Delhi August 24, 2005. India plans to spend nearly $15 billion to fight poverty but analysts say a poor track record of implementing past schemes raises doubts that even a third of the money will trickle down to the right people. Nearly 260 million of India's 1.1 billion people live in abject poverty, despite economic growth of 6 percent a year since reforms started in 1991. REUTERS/Kamal Kishore KK/mk 

Indian children sift through a garbage dump on the outskirts of New Delhi August 24, 2005. India plans to spend nearly $15 billion to fight poverty but analysts say a poor track record of implementing past schemes raises doubts that even a third of the money will trickle down to the right people. Nearly 260 million of India's 1.1 billion people live in abject poverty, despite economic growth of 6 percent a year since reforms started in 1991. REUTERS/Kamal Kishore KK/mk 

An Indian girl carries things she collected from a garbage dump on the outskirts of New Delhi August 24, 2005. India plans to spend nearly $15 billion to fight poverty but analysts say a poor track record of implementing past schemes raises doubts that even a third of the money will trickle down to the right people. Nearly 260 million of India's 1.1 billion people live in abject poverty, despite economic growth of 6 percent a year since reforms started in 1991. REUTERS/Kamal Kishore KK/mk 

An Indian boy sift through a garbage dump on the outskirts of New Delhi August 24, 2005. India plans to spend nearly $15 billion to fight poverty but analysts say a poor track record of implementing past schemes raises doubts that even a third of the money will trickle down to the right people. Nearly 260 million of India's 1.1 billion people live in abject poverty, despite economic growth of 6 percent a year since reforms started in 1991. REUTERS/Kamal Kishore KK/mk 

Indian children sift through a garbage dump on the outskirts of New Delhi August 24, 2005. India plans to spend nearly $15 billion to fight poverty but analysts say a poor track record of implementing past schemes raises doubts that even a third of the money will trickle down to the right people. Nearly 260 million of India's 1.1 billion people live in abject poverty, despite economic growth of 6 percent a year since reforms started in 1991. REUTERS/Kamal Kishore KK/mk 

An Indian boy stands on a garbage dump on the outskirts of New Delhi August 24, 2005. India plans to spend nearly $15 billion to fight poverty but analysts say a poor track record of implementing past schemes raises doubts that even a third of the money will trickle down to the right people. Nearly 260 million of India's 1.1 billion people live in abject poverty, despite economic growth of 6 percent a year since reforms started in 1991. REUTERS/Kamal Kishore KK/mk 

An Indian girl rummages through a garbage dump on the outskirts of New Delhi August 24, 2005. India plans to spend nearly $15 billion to fight poverty but analysts say a poor track record of implementing past schemes raises doubts that even a third of the money will trickle down to the right people. Nearly 260 million of India's 1.1 billion people live in abject poverty, despite economic growth of 6 percent a year since reforms started in 1991. REUTERS/Kamal Kishore KK/KS/MK 

An Indian girl cracks rocks on the banks of the Mahananda river in Siliguri, northeastern India July 1, 2005. As India joins the world's richest nations at the G8 in Scotland, hundreds of millions of Indians, including children and elders, struggle to survive in appalling conditions on less than $1 a day. More people live in abject poverty, not even earning enough to eat properly, in India than any other country in the world. But its racing economy often masks that suffering, say aid workers. Picture taken on July 1, 2005. REUTERS/Desmond Boylan DB/CCK 

Three-year-old Dipak Sarkar cracks rocks on the banks of the Mahananda river in Siliguri, northeastern India July 1, 2005. As India joins the world's richest nations at the G8 in Scotland, hundreds of millions of Indians, including children and elders, struggle to survive in appalling conditions on less than $1 a day. More people live in abject poverty, not even earning enough to eat properly, in India than any other country in the world. But its racing economy often masks that suffering, say aid workers. Picture taken on July 1, 2005. REUTERS/Desmond Boylan DB/CCK 

An Indian labourer takes a handful of rocks to crack on the banks of the Mahananda river in Siliguri, northeastern India July 1, 2005. As India joins the world's richest nations at the G8 in Scotland, hundreds of millions of Indians, including children and elders, struggle to survive in appalling conditions on less than $1 a day. More people live in abject poverty, not even earning enough to eat properly, in India than any other country in the world. But its racing economy often masks that suffering, say aid workers. Picture taken on July 1, 2005. REUTERS/Desmond Boylan DB/CCK 

An Indian labourer takes a break from cracking rocks on the banks of the Mahananda river in Siliguri, northeastern India July 1, 2005. As India joins the world's richest nations at the G8 in Scotland, hundreds of millions of Indians, including children and elders, struggle to survive in appalling conditions on less than $1 a day. More people live in abject poverty, not even earning enough to eat properly, in India than any other country in the world. But its racing economy often masks that suffering, say aid workers. Picture taken on July 1, 2005. REUTERS/Desmond Boylan DB/CCK 

An Indian labourer cracks rocks on the banks of the Mahananda river in Siliguri, northeastern India July 1, 2005. As India joins the world's richest nations at the G8 in Scotland, hundreds of millions of Indians, including children and elders, struggle to survive in appalling conditions on less than $1 a day. More people live in abject poverty, not even earning enough to eat properly, in India than any other country in the world. But its racing economy often masks that suffering, say aid workers. Picture taken on July 1, 2005. REUTERS/Desmond Boylan DB/CCK 

Russian performers pose during a photo session on the eve of their show in Calcutta November 27, 2004. The Russian State Circus Company came to India after a 20-year absence with 44 performers and 25 of animals with the first performance starting on Sunday. A Calcutta based NGO; "People for Animal" had raised abjection that no tricks by wild animals during the show be allowed as display of wild animals in any circus is banned in India. Three sea lions, which accompanied the circus, were sent back to Russia, local media reported. REUTERS/Jayanta Shaw JS/LA 

A Chinese man uses a mirror to look for recyclable plastic bottles inside a garbage bin in Shanghai August 30, 2004. The number of Chinese living in abject poverty rose by 800,000 last year, the first such increase in 25 years and since the start of economic reforms, one of the top officials on poverty alleviation said. Communist Party leaders, wary of the potential for social unrest, have declared war on poverty and pledged to narrow the yawning gap between the rich and poor. REUTERS/Claro Cortes IV CC/FA 

A Chinese man uses a mirror to look for recyclable plastic bottles inside a garbage bin in Shanghai August 30, 2004. The number of Chinese living in abject poverty rose by 800,000 last year, the first such increase in 25 years and since the start of economic reforms, one of the top officials on poverty alleviation said. Communist Party leaders, wary of the potential for social unrest, have declared war on poverty and pledged to narrow the yawning gap between the rich and poor. REUTERS/Claro Cortes IV CC/FA 

A Chinese woman rummages inside a garbage bin for recyclable plastic bottles in Shanghai August 30, 2004. The number of Chinese living in abject poverty rose by 800,000 last year, the first such increase in 25 years and since the start of economic reforms, one of the top officials on poverty alleviation said. Communist Party leaders, wary of the potential for social unrest, have declared war on poverty and pledged to narrow the yawning gap between the rich and poor. REUTERS/Claro Cortes IV CC/FA 

A disabled beggar crosses a street in Beijing August 2, 2004. Poverty alleviation officials said recently that the number of Chinese living in abject poverty rose by 800,000 last year, the first increase in 25 years. REUTERS/Wilson Chu WC/LA 

A disabled beggar crosses a street in Beijing August 2, 2004. Poverty alleviation officials said recently that the number of Chinese living in abject poverty rose by 800,000 last year, the first increase in 25 years. REUTERS/Wilson Chu WC/CP 

A Chinese girl performs as an acrobat as she begs for money on a sidewalk in Beijing July 26, 2004. Poverty alleviation officials said last week that the number of Chinese living in abject poverty rose by 800,000 last year, the first such increase in 25 years. 

A Chinese girl performs as an acrobat as she begs for money on a sidewalk in Beijing July 26, 2004. Poverty alleviation officials said last week that the number of Chinese living in abject poverty rose by 800,000 last year, the first such increase in 25 years. REUTERS/Guang Niu GN/CP 

A Chinese girl tosses garlic to separate the peel in front of her family's vegetable stall at an outdoor market in Beijing July 20, 2004. The number of Chinese living in abject poverty rose by 800,000 last year, the first such increase in 25 years, one of the top officials on poverty alleviation was quoted on Monday as saying. 

A Chinese girl tosses garlic to separate the peel in front of her family's vegetable stall at an outdoor market in Beijing July 20, 2004. The number of Chinese living in abject poverty rose by 800,000 last year, the first such increase in 25 years, one of the top officials on poverty alleviation was quoted on Monday as saying. REUTERS/Guang Niu ASW/CP 

-PHOTO TAKEN 13JUL04-
A Chinese boy runs through a field in the countryside of Jinzhai county in China's central province of Anhui in this picture taken July 13, 2004. [The number of Chinese living in abject poverty rose by 800,000 last year, the first such increase in 25 years and since the start of economic reforms, one of the top officials on poverty alleviation was quoted on Monday as saying.] 

Chinese girls walk home after washing clothes in a brook in the countryside of Jinzhai county in China's central province of Anhui in this picture taken July 13, 2004. The number of Chinese living in abject poverty rose by 800,000 last year, the first such increase in 25 years and since the start of economic reforms, one of the top officials on poverty alleviation was quoted on Monday as saying. Picture taken July 13, 2004. REUTERS/Wilson Chu WC/SH 

A Chinese boy runs through a field in the countryside of Jinzhai county in China's central province of Anhui in this picture taken July 13, 2004. The number of Chinese living in abject poverty rose by 800,000 last year, the first such increase in 25 years and since the start of economic reforms, one of the top officials on poverty alleviation was quoted on Monday as saying. Picture taken July 13, 2004. REUTERS/Wilson Chu WC/SH 

An Afghan police officer directs busy traffic in Kabul November 13,
2003. Two years after the Taliban's ignominious defeat, Kabul has all
the contrasts of a modern city. Business is booming for the lucky few,
while many others live in abject poverty, unable to find homes or work.
TO ACCOMPANY FEATURE STORY AFGHAN-KABUL REUTERS/Ahmad Masood

AM/PB 

Afghan woman clad in a burqa makes her way through the cars as an
officer stops traffic in Kabul November 13, 2003. Two years after the
Taliban's ignominious defeat, Kabul has all the contrasts of a modern
city. Business is booming for the lucky few, while many others live in
abject poverty, unable to find homes or work. TO ACCOMPANY FEATURE
STORY AFGHAN-KABUL REUTERS/Ahmad Masood

AM/PB 

An Afghan child bare feet stands infront of her tent in Kabul November 13,
2003. Two years after the Taliban's ignominious defeat, Kabul has all the
contrasts of a modern city. Business is booming for the lucky few, while
many others live in abject poverty, unable to find homes or work. TO
ACCOMPANY FEATURE STORY AFGHAN-KABUL REUTERS/Ahmad Masood PP03110059

AM/PB 

Afghan children look out from the rubble that is their home in Kabul
November 13, 2003. Two years after the Taliban's ignominious defeat, Kabul
has all the contrasts of a modern city. Business is booming for the lucky
few, while many others live in abject poverty, unable to find homes or work.
TO ACCOMPANY FEATURE STORY AFGHAN-KABUL REUTERS/Ahmad Masood PP03110059

AM/PB 

An Afghan child bare feet stands in front of her tent in Kabul November 13, 2003. [Two years after the Taliban's ignominious defeat, Kabul has all the contrasts of a modern city. Business is booming for the lucky few, while many others live in abject poverty, unable to find homes or work.] 

An Iraqi boy fishes in Basra, southern Iraq July 13, 2003, next to the rusting remains of an Iraqi ship destroyed during the U.S-led war in the waters where the Tigris and Euphrates rivers converge on their way to the Persian Gulf. People live in abject poverty along the river fishing are one of the few sources of income. 

Shi'ite women in Basra gather water July 13, 2003, from where the Tigris and Euphrates rivers converge on their way to the Persian Gulf. People along the river live in abject poverty and depend on the polluted water for cooking and cleaning. 

Shi'ite women in Basra gather water July 13, 2003, from where the
Tigris and Euphrates rivers converge on their way to the Gulf. People
along the river live in abject poverty and depend on the polluted water
for cooking and cleaning. REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini

SR/AA 

An Iraqi boy fishes in Basra, southern Iraq July 13, 2003, next to the
rusting remains of an Iraqi ship destroyed during the U.S-led war in
the waters where the Tigris and Euphrates rivers converge on their way
to the Persian Gulf. People live in abject poverty along the river
fishing are one of the few sources of income. REUTERS/Stefano
Rellandini

SR/AA 

Shi'ite women in Basra gather water July 13, 2003, from where the Tigris and
Euphrates rivers converge on their way to the Persian Gulf. People along the
river live in abject poverty and depend on the polluted water for cooking
and cleaning. Pictures of the month July 2003
REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini

SR/AA 

Germany's Sven Hannawald (R) and Martin Schmitt (2R) celebrate while
Finland's (L-4L) Matti Hautamaeki, Risto Jussilainen, Veli-Matti
Lindstroem and Janne Ahonen of Finland stand in abject dejection after
they lost the Olympic team K120 event by just 0.1 of a point to Germany
during the Salt Lake 2002 Winter Olympic Games February 18, 2002.
Germany won Olympic gold in the team K120 ski jumping event on Monday
by just a fraction of a point ahead of Finland and bronze medalists
Slovenia. REUTERS/Dan Chung

KM/CRB 

(L-R) Matti Hautamaeki, Risto Jussilainen, Veli-Matti Lindstroem and
Janne Ahonen of Finland stand in abject dejection after they lost the
Olympic team K120 event by just 0.1 of a point to Germany during the
Salt Lake 2002 Winter Olympic Games February 18, 2002. Germany won
Olympic gold in the team K120 ski jumping event on Monday by just a
fraction of a point ahead of Finland and bronze medalists Slovenia.
REUTERS/Dan Chung

KM/CRB 

34 year old indigenous Mexican Emilia Silvestre and her six month old baby Josue stand in the Mexico City center slum where they live August 23, 2001. Silvestre is part of the 10 million indigenous Mexicans who live in abject poverty. 

34 year old indigenous Mexican Emilia Silvestre and her six month old
baby Josue stand in the Mexico City center slum where they live August
23, 2001. Silvestre is part of the 10 million indigenous Mexicans who
live in abject poverty.

AW/HK 

58 year old Teresa Lauriano sews in the Mexico City centre slum where
she lives August 23, 2001. Lauriano is one of the 10 million indigenous
Mexicans who live in abject poverty.

AW/HK 

An Indonesian street worker sweeps up leftover soybeans in Jakarta's main port of Tanjung Priok June 16 for resale. Millions of Indonesians have been thrown into a life of abject poverty by the country's worst economic crisis in 30 years. The front-running party from last week's Indonesia election promised to make the crisis-racked country a better place for investment where sound policies and a legal system were upheld and corruption was rooted out.

EN/TAN/WS 

A man begs for money from passing traffic in central Jakarta June 6. Millions of Indonesians thrown into abject poverty by two years of economic crisis are praying the winner of Monday's general election can reverse the spiral. Forty-eight political parties are contesting tomorrows poll, the first democratic elections in the world's fourth most populous nation in more than four decades.

MDB/TAN 

Indonesians scavenge through garbage at Bakasi rubbish dump on the outskirts of Jakarta May 30. Millions of Indonesians have been thrown into a life of abject poverty by the country's worst economic crisis in 30 years. The country holds its first democratic election in four decades on June 7.
**DIGITAL IMAGE** 

Indonesians scavenge through garbage at Bakasi rubbish dump on the outskirts of Jakarta May 30. Millions of Indonesians have been thrown into a life of abject poverty by the country's worst economic crisis in 30 years. The country holds its first democratic election in four decades on June 7.

MDB/TAN/AA 

A woman scavenges through garbage at Bakasi rubbish dump on the outskirts of Jakarta May 30. Millions of Indonesian's have been thrown into a life of abject poverty by the country's worst economic crisis in thirty years. The country holds its first democratic election in four decades on June 7.

MDB/TAN/AA 

Children scavenge through garbage at Bakasi rubbish dump on the outskirts Jakarta May 30. Millions of Indonesians have been thrown into a life of abject poverty by the country's worst economic crisis in thirty years. The country holds its first democratic election in four decades on June 7.

MDB/TAN 

Indonesian students chant anti-government slogans as they march in Jakarta's central business district October 14. Hundreds of students from Jakarta universities staged the protest to demand the government move quickly to cut soaring prices of basic commodities. Inflation is currently running at more than 80 percent as a result of the country's economic crisis which has thrown hundreds of thousands out of work and is driving millions into a life of abject poverty.

EN/JIR 

Indonesian students on top of buses chant anti-government slogans in Jakarta's central business district October 14. Hundreds of students from Jakarta universities staged the protest to demand the government move quickly to cut soaring prices of basic commodities. Inflation is currently running at more than 80 percent as a result of the country's economic crisis which has thrown hundreds of thousands out of work and is driving millions into a life of abject poverty.

EN/JIR 

Indonesian students chant anti-government slogans in Jakarta's central business district October 14. Hundreds of students from Jakarta universities staged the protest to demand the government move quickly to cut soaring prices of basic commodities. Inflation is currently running at more than 80 percent as a result of the country's economic crisis, which has thrown hundreds of thousands out of work and is driving millions into a life of abject poverty.

EN/JIR