Melinda French Gates bows out of the Gates Foundation finally

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Following the divorce between Melinda French Gates and Bill Gates in 2021, Melinda announced that she is leaving the philanthropic foundation they co-founded together. The philanthropist made this announcement sometimes in May 2024 and according to the agreement, she gets $12.5 billion for her future philanthropic work. This announcement effects that she is resigning as the co-chair of the Gates Foundation. But yesterday, June 7, 2024 marked her last day as the co-chair at the foundation.

The ex-wife of the Microsoft founder, Bill Gates has already started shaking the grounds of philanthropy. Last month, she donated $1bn to women’s rights through her organization, Pivotal Ventures. She sees leaving the Gates Foundation as a decision that she did not come to ‘lightly’.

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The Gates Foundation

Over the years, the philanthropic foundation established by Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates has changed its name twice. The Gates Foundation was formerly called William H.Gates Foundation and at another time, Gates Leaning Foundation. However, the American private foundation was launched in the year 2000 in Seattle, Washington.

As at December 2023, the organisation was worth about $75.2 billion dollars. The foundation was once named the second largest charitable foundation in the world. The Chief Executive Officer of the foundation, Warren Buffet is one of the highest donors to the foundation.He once gave the foundation $1.5 billion worth of shares.

The Gates foundation is ‘non- profit fighting poverty, disease and inequity around the world”. The organisation donates to causes and give grants to organisation that falls in scope of their mission. The World Health Organisation, United States Funds for UNICEF, UN Foundation among many others have enjoyed their grant benefits. The philanthropy organization also provides scholarship for outstanding students through the Gates Cambridge Scholarship.

Before Melinda’s resignation from the foundation, she served as co-chair of the foundation alongside her ex- husband, Bill Gates. In her released statement, she believes that “the foundation and its future is in good hands”. We wish Melinda the best in her future exploits in philanthropy.

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