Bill Gates has announced that he plans to use most of his $200 billion fortune to help improve healthcare and education in Africa over the next 20 years.
The founder of Microsoft said that “by unleashing human potential through health and education, every country in Africa should be on a path to prosperity,” as per BBC.
This comes after the 69-year-old billionaire made the biggest donation promise ever in the modern times last month by announcing that he will give away $200 billion over the next 20 years to help people live healthier and better lives.
In another big update, he said he will close the Gates Foundation on December 31, 2045.
“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 in a post on his website.
Bill Gates pledges fortune to boost Africa’s healthcare as US cuts aid:
While speaking in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia he encouraged young people in Africa to create and use Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies to make healthcare better across the continent.
He said, “I recently made a commitment that my wealth will be given away over the next 20 years. The majority of that funding will be spent on helping you address challenges here in Africa.”
Under President Donald Trump’s “America First” policy, the US government reduced the money it gives to help Africa, including funds for treating people with HIV/AIDS.
In response, Gates said his foundation, which has worked in Africa for many years, will now focus more on improving basic healthcare services to support the people there.
