Bill Gates is one of the richest men on Earth. Known for being the founder of Microsoft, he has dedicated most of his life and money to doing humanitarian work thanks to his foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Thanks to his philanthropic work and his donations of millions of dollars, millions of people have been able to improve their situation and escape poverty, and yet, even after all his humanitarian initiatives, he is still planning to give away 99% of his fortune within the next 20 years to accomplish even more.
And 99% of his fortune is not a small number, it has been calculated to be around $200 billion by the time he is done. After that, he will allegedly begin to wind down operations of his Foundation. He is now 69 years old, so who knows if he will be alive to accomplish his goal, but he seems certain that this is the best course of action and he best way to help the world at large.
As he explained in a blog post “People will say a lot of things about me when I die, but I am determined that ‘he died rich’ will not be one of them”. He is not doing this for the clout either, his foundation has already given away more than $100 billion towards health and development projects.
But even by donating most of his wealth he will still die a rich man, although likely not as rich as he is now. The Microsoft founder is the fifth-richest person in the world and continues to earn revenue from his company and stocks, so as long as Microsoft and his other investments do well his heirs may also be set for life.
The next steps for Bill Gates
While winding down his foundation had not been the original plan, he has now changed his mind and seen that he can do more with the money if he is not planning to have the foundation live forever “It’s really about the urgency,” he said in an interview with the BBC. “We can spend a lot more if we’re not trying to be perpetual, and I know that the spending will be in line with my values.”
He also believes that in the future there will be other people more qualified to direct the necessary funds to the necessary areas, and that without oversight his foundation would likely become less effective over time.
He continued stating that countries that have cut aid to countries in need, like the US or France, are doing the world a disservice “It’s unclear whether the world’s richest countries will continue to stand up for its poorest people. But the one thing we can guarantee is that, in all of our work, the Gates Foundation will support efforts to help people and countries pull themselves out of poverty.”
His efforts will be centered in Africa, as they have been until now. The money that he Is donating will be used to continue to partner with governments that prioritize the health and wellbeing of their people. “By unleashing human potential through health and education, every country in Africa should be on a path to prosperity. And that path is an exciting thing to be part of.”
In a more direct exchange during a Newshour interview, Gates addressed earlier remarks in which he blamed Elon Musk for child deaths linked to reductions in U.S. aid by the Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE.
“These cuts won’t just harm children—they’ll lead to the deaths of millions,” Gates stated. “It’s not something you’d expect from the wealthiest person on the planet.”