Moraene Roberts describes, from the viewpoint of someone living on a low income, the disempowering impact of having little money in a world where people are likely to be valued – and respected – on the basis of what they own. She suggests that it is critical to respect the human rights of each and every person and that a society that really does start from this point would be more likely to use money in ways that optimise the potential of every individual. Her overall conclusion is that money invested in people in order to allow them to be full participants in society is money well and justly spent.

Dorothy Rowe shows how each of us has our own way of seeing things and how difficult it can be for us to put aside our own ideas and really understand those of others. Yet, unless we undertake such hard work, giving can do more harm than good.

Understanding and responding to the real needs of a culturally diverse population is the central theme of Ram Gidoomal.The right use of money will vary depending on cultural and religious values. For example, an imperative to provide a dowry will affect savings decisions, what to invest in and so on. He provides examples of projects at the local level that encourage a good use of money in ways that respond to particular community needs.

Matthew Pike writes that the right use of money needs to take account of the realities that poor people face in disadvantaged areas. He emphasises that helplessness is not conquered simply by providing more money, but by encouraging investment in the full range of a community's assets: physical, human, social, cultural, knowledge and so on, as well as the more traditional financial assets. In particular, he suggests that a good use of money is to invest in projects that lever in more of these assets or make those already there more productive.