For all the Bill Gates bashers... [View All]

[DFWdem]

Too often we only hear about people when a negative story comes out. Here's something positive for a change.


http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/051031/31gates.htm

Some of the worst human tragedies happening in the world today go on because we don't really see them. We rarely make eye contact with people who are suffering, so we act sometimes as if the people don't exist."

The speaker is Bill Gates, the world's richest man. At a gathering in Seattle, he is talking not as the Microsoft chairman but as a partner in an intense personal mission. For Gates and his wife, Melinda, alleviating inequities in global health and domestic education has become a life's goal.

Having endowed their foundation with close to $29 billion, the Gateses are on track to become history's greatest philanthropists. But they do more than just shovel money out the door. Experts praise the couple for their astute vision and their ability to mobilize others: "Even with this gigantic endowment," says Susan Schwab, president and CEO of the University System of Maryland Foundation, "they know they can't solve these problems alone."

So far, the Gateses have committed over $9 billion in grants, and the impact on global health has been enormous. "When you put high-octane fuel on a campfire," says Nils Daulaire, president and CEO of the Global Health Council, "you get a big blaze."



Say what you will about Microsoft's products and your dislike of them, but Bill Gates is undeniably a generous man who is dedicated to making a huge difference in the lives of millions of people. I don't care how much money one has, to simply give away $29 billion is astounding...and they're not done yet. Kudos to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.