Bill Gates, the billionaire philanthropist
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I In a major shift in philanthropic strategy, billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates has kicked off the earlier announced plan to give away virtually all of his remaining fortune and wind down the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation by December 31, 2045.
The unprecedented move, unveiled in May 2025, aims to accelerate efforts to tackle poverty, disease and climate adaptation by spending more now rather than preserving funds for the distant future.
Gates, co-chair of the foundation he launched with Melinda French Gates in 2000, said the organization will distribute around $200 billion over the next 20 years — a significant increase from its past pace. “There are too many urgent problems to solve for me to hold onto resources that could be used to help people,” Gates wrote on his personal blog, Gates Notes.
“I will give away virtually all my wealth through the Gates Foundation over the next 20 years to the cause of saving and improving lives around the world.”
Under the accelerated plan, annual giving is expected to reach approximately $9 billion, with funding concentrated on global health, education, poverty alleviation and climate resilience. Gates emphasized that advances in technology — including artificial intelligence — offer new opportunities to magnify impact. “The truth is, there have never been more opportunities to help people live healthier, more prosperous lives,” he said.
$100 billion given away
The foundation — one of the world’s largest philanthropic organizations — has already contributed more than $100 billion to initiatives such as vaccine distribution and disease eradication efforts with partners like Gavi and the Global Fund. Officials believe that spending down the endowment faster will expedite progress on key issues like malaria, polio and preventable maternal and child deaths.
Gates affirmed that closing the foundation at the end of 2045 is designed to ensure the money is used where it can make the greatest difference. “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 wrote, echoing the philanthropic ethos that motivated this historic pledge on www.gatesnotes.com
The move marks a notable departure from traditional endowment-driven philanthropy and sets a bold precedent for high-impact charitable giving in the 21st century.
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