There are those... who enter the world in such poverty that they are deprived of both the means and the motivation to improve their lot. Unless these unfortunates can be touched with the spark which ignites the spirit of individual enterprise and determination, they will only sink back into renewed apathy, degradation and despair. It is for us, who are more fortunate, to provide that spark." - Meaning and context.">
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Speech at the Innauguration of the Aga Khan Baug, Versova, India (17 January 1983)
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There are those... who enter the world in such poverty that they are deprived of both the means and the motivation to improve their lot. Unless these unfortunates can be touched with the spark which ignites the spirit of individual enterprise and determination, they will only sink back into renewed apathy, degradation and despair. It is for us, who are more fortunate, to provide that spark.

— Aga Khan IV

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "There are those... who enter the world in such poverty that they are deprived of both the means and the motivation to improve their lot. Unless these unfortunates can be touched with the spark which ignites the spirit of individual enterprise and determination, they will only sink back into renewed apathy, degradation and despair. It is for us, who are more fortunate, to provide that spark." in the context of "Speech at the Innauguration of the Aga Khan Baug, Versova, India (17 January 1983)" to mean that wisdom is timeless.

Source: Wikiquote: "Aga Khan IV" (Quotes) The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app

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#Aga Khan IV#spark#determination#unfortunates#degradation#motivation#individual#enterprise#fortunate#deprived#poverty#improve
Aga Khan IV

About Aga Khan IV

The Āgā Khān IV (or His Highness Prince Karīm al-Ḥussaynī Āgā Khān IV) KBE CC GCC (13 December 1936 – 4 February 2025) was the 49th hereditary Imam (spiritual leader) of the Ismaili Muslims, comprised of ethnically and culturally diverse peoples living in over 25 countries around the world. A Harvard graduate in Islamic history, the Aga Khan succeeded his grandfather as Imam of the Ismailis in 1957. He was the founder and Chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network.