Gates Speeds Up Charity Plans as Global Poverty and Health Crisis Looms
Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates has announced plans to give away nearly $200 billion through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation by the year 2045. This bold move comes as the Microsoft co-founder accelerates his efforts to tackle global poverty, disease, and preventable child deaths.
In a strongly-worded message, Gates also criticised Elon Musk, accusing him of indirectly harming the world’s poorest children by supporting massive cuts to U.S. foreign aid.
Key Highlights of Gates’ Announcement
Bill Gates pledges to donate around $200 billion by 2045
The Gates Foundation will close by December 31, 2045
The foundation has already donated $100 billion since its creation
Gates wants to focus on:
Eradicating diseases such as polio and malaria
Reducing child and maternal deaths
Fighting poverty in low-income countries
Gates criticised foreign aid cuts led by Musk’s department in the U.S.
Why Is Gates Speeding Up His Donations?
Gates, aged 69, said he wants to see the money put to work sooner, aiming to make a bigger impact within his lifetime. His foundation, set up in 2000 with Melinda French Gates and later joined by Warren Buffett, has already played a vital role in global health and development.
“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,” Gates wrote on his website.
Gates said there are too many urgent problems in the world to delay action. Diseases that were once on the brink of elimination are making a comeback, and global aid funding is at risk.
A Harsh Critique of Elon Musk
In a blunt statement to the Financial Times, Gates accused Elon Musk of contributing to the suffering of the world’s most vulnerable people.
“The picture of the world’s richest man killing the world’s poorest children is not a pretty one,” he said.
The cuts in U.S. international aid were made under the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which Musk reportedly oversees. Gates warned these reductions could reverse decades of progress in reducing global mortality.
“Millions more children may die in the next 4–6 years due to funding cuts,” Gates told Reuters.
Global Response to Aid Cuts
While some Western countries like Britain, France, and the United States have reduced their international aid, Gates applauded certain African governments for reallocating their budgets to keep life-saving programmes alive.
However, he insisted that full eradication of diseases like polio still depends heavily on U.S. funding.
The Foundation’s Legacy: 25 Years of Impact
On the 25th anniversary of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Gates reflected on the journey:
“I’ve come a long way since starting a software company with my friend from middle school.”
Achievements so far:
$100 billion donated
Backed global initiatives like:
Gavi, the vaccine alliance
The Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria
Helped save millions of lives
The foundation’s annual budget is expected to reach $9 billion by 2026, making it one of the largest private contributors to global health efforts.
Criticism and Controversy
Despite its success, the foundation has faced criticism for wielding too much power in public health without adequate oversight. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Gates was the subject of conspiracy theories and public mistrust, despite his foundation’s massive contributions to vaccine development and delivery.
A Call to Action for the Wealthy
Gates urged other wealthy individuals and governments to step up and give back.
“I hope other wealthy people consider how much they can accelerate progress for the world’s poorest if they increase the pace and scale of their giving,” he said.
He also expressed hope that in the coming two decades, global leaders would return to caring deeply about children’s survival and well-being.
Final Thoughts
Bill Gates’ pledge is more than just a large donation. It is a statement of urgency in a time when global health progress is at risk. Whether other billionaires and world leaders will follow his lead remains to be seen.
Sources