Poverty

So i was reading les mis and the introductory chapters speak of monsieur bienvenu who is a priest. One of his characteristics is to give all his money to the poor, to hospitals etc. And that made me think about what I should be doing with my savings.

So I started researching poverty in Singapore and found that there's 10% of the population who live in poverty- in a loosely defined definition of 450 for a single adult, 1250 for a family of 4. One postulated reason for poverty in Singapore was linked to foreigners reducing the market price for labour which to some extent I agree. But from another point of reasoning I'm wondering how these people became poor in the first place. Too many kids, too soon? Not completing school? Illness, poor health? Bad habits like overspending, gambling and drinking?

And so I can gather some on the struggle in governance of social welfare and how to met it out appropriately. From the above points of view I can also see that I'm from the school of meritocracy, but I sure hope that doesn't mean I'm not able to be compassion and to give to those who 'do not deserve'.