Billionaires on a Mission to Make a Difference in the World

[Guest guest]

People of the Year: Bill and Melinda Gates

Billionaires on a Mission to Make a Difference in the World

Dec. 29, 2005 - Microsoft founder Bill Gates revolutionized the computer

industry. Now he and wife, Melinda, have done the same for the world of

philanthropy.

" The greatest inequity in the world is that children are dying whose lives

could be saved for a few hundred dollars. And that should be changed, " said

Bill.

Added Melinda: " If you take just some of the basic medicines we have here -

the vaccinations that we have, we so take for granted for our children -

measles, hepatitis B, and you take those to Africa, you can change a child's

life. "

They are giving away money faster than anyone ever has before. And by the

end of this year, they will have given away more than one-third of their net

worth. Through the Gates Foundation, they dedicate much of their lives to

helping the world's neediest.

" They get very engaged in grant proposals and a little geeky, " said

Palmer, editor of The Chronicle of Philanthropy. " They really read them,

they care about them, they read the science journals, they will question the

scientist and they probably know more about [the topic] than some of the

experts in the field. "

Money Making a Difference

The couple travels to the places where their money is making a difference.

" Getting out to India, to Africa - that's critical for me to make sure my

foundation is doing effective work and renews my commitment to take all the

wealth I have and make sure it goes back to causes like world health, " said

Bill.

This year the Gates Foundation donated more than $1 billion to malaria

immunization, HIV/AIDS prevention, education and other causes. The

foundation receives 140 grant requests a day.

" It's neat in terms of giving all this money back . I've been, maybe, the

luckiest person and help the people who have been unlucky to have better

lives, " said Bill.

On the eve of their wedding 11 years ago, Bill's mother wrote Melinda a

letter, saying that with great wealth comes great responsibility. Melinda

says that set them on the philanthropic road. They now teach that lesson to

their three children.

" When we go to Africa, what are we doing there? Taking blankets to children,

taking medicines to children, " said Melinda. " That's already ingrained in

our children. We talk a lot in our household about that we have a

responsibility as a family to give back to the world. "

ABC News' Bob Woodruff filed this report for " World News Tonight. "

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=1453600

_________________________________________________________________

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[Guest guest]

People of the Year: Bill and Melinda Gates

Billionaires on a Mission to Make a Difference in the World

Dec. 29, 2005 - Microsoft founder Bill Gates revolutionized the computer

industry. Now he and wife, Melinda, have done the same for the world of

philanthropy.

" The greatest inequity in the world is that children are dying whose lives

could be saved for a few hundred dollars. And that should be changed, " said

Bill.

Added Melinda: " If you take just some of the basic medicines we have here -

the vaccinations that we have, we so take for granted for our children -

measles, hepatitis B, and you take those to Africa, you can change a child's

life. "

They are giving away money faster than anyone ever has before. And by the

end of this year, they will have given away more than one-third of their net

worth. Through the Gates Foundation, they dedicate much of their lives to

helping the world's neediest.

" They get very engaged in grant proposals and a little geeky, " said

Palmer, editor of The Chronicle of Philanthropy. " They really read them,

they care about them, they read the science journals, they will question the

scientist and they probably know more about [the topic] than some of the

experts in the field. "

Money Making a Difference

The couple travels to the places where their money is making a difference.

" Getting out to India, to Africa - that's critical for me to make sure my

foundation is doing effective work and renews my commitment to take all the

wealth I have and make sure it goes back to causes like world health, " said

Bill.

This year the Gates Foundation donated more than $1 billion to malaria

immunization, HIV/AIDS prevention, education and other causes. The

foundation receives 140 grant requests a day.

" It's neat in terms of giving all this money back . I've been, maybe, the

luckiest person and help the people who have been unlucky to have better

lives, " said Bill.

On the eve of their wedding 11 years ago, Bill's mother wrote Melinda a

letter, saying that with great wealth comes great responsibility. Melinda

says that set them on the philanthropic road. They now teach that lesson to

their three children.

" When we go to Africa, what are we doing there? Taking blankets to children,

taking medicines to children, " said Melinda. " That's already ingrained in

our children. We talk a lot in our household about that we have a

responsibility as a family to give back to the world. "

ABC News' Bob Woodruff filed this report for " World News Tonight. "

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=1453600

_________________________________________________________________

Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE!

http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/

[Guest guest]

People of the Year: Bill and Melinda Gates

Billionaires on a Mission to Make a Difference in the World

Dec. 29, 2005 - Microsoft founder Bill Gates revolutionized the computer

industry. Now he and wife, Melinda, have done the same for the world of

philanthropy.

" The greatest inequity in the world is that children are dying whose lives

could be saved for a few hundred dollars. And that should be changed, " said

Bill.

Added Melinda: " If you take just some of the basic medicines we have here -

the vaccinations that we have, we so take for granted for our children -

measles, hepatitis B, and you take those to Africa, you can change a child's

life. "

They are giving away money faster than anyone ever has before. And by the

end of this year, they will have given away more than one-third of their net

worth. Through the Gates Foundation, they dedicate much of their lives to

helping the world's neediest.

" They get very engaged in grant proposals and a little geeky, " said

Palmer, editor of The Chronicle of Philanthropy. " They really read them,

they care about them, they read the science journals, they will question the

scientist and they probably know more about [the topic] than some of the

experts in the field. "

Money Making a Difference

The couple travels to the places where their money is making a difference.

" Getting out to India, to Africa - that's critical for me to make sure my

foundation is doing effective work and renews my commitment to take all the

wealth I have and make sure it goes back to causes like world health, " said

Bill.

This year the Gates Foundation donated more than $1 billion to malaria

immunization, HIV/AIDS prevention, education and other causes. The

foundation receives 140 grant requests a day.

" It's neat in terms of giving all this money back . I've been, maybe, the

luckiest person and help the people who have been unlucky to have better

lives, " said Bill.

On the eve of their wedding 11 years ago, Bill's mother wrote Melinda a

letter, saying that with great wealth comes great responsibility. Melinda

says that set them on the philanthropic road. They now teach that lesson to

their three children.

" When we go to Africa, what are we doing there? Taking blankets to children,

taking medicines to children, " said Melinda. " That's already ingrained in

our children. We talk a lot in our household about that we have a

responsibility as a family to give back to the world. "

ABC News' Bob Woodruff filed this report for " World News Tonight. "

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=1453600

_________________________________________________________________

Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE!

http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/

[Guest guest]

People of the Year: Bill and Melinda Gates

Billionaires on a Mission to Make a Difference in the World

Dec. 29, 2005 - Microsoft founder Bill Gates revolutionized the computer

industry. Now he and wife, Melinda, have done the same for the world of

philanthropy.

" The greatest inequity in the world is that children are dying whose lives

could be saved for a few hundred dollars. And that should be changed, " said

Bill.

Added Melinda: " If you take just some of the basic medicines we have here -

the vaccinations that we have, we so take for granted for our children -

measles, hepatitis B, and you take those to Africa, you can change a child's

life. "

They are giving away money faster than anyone ever has before. And by the

end of this year, they will have given away more than one-third of their net

worth. Through the Gates Foundation, they dedicate much of their lives to

helping the world's neediest.

" They get very engaged in grant proposals and a little geeky, " said

Palmer, editor of The Chronicle of Philanthropy. " They really read them,

they care about them, they read the science journals, they will question the

scientist and they probably know more about [the topic] than some of the

experts in the field. "

Money Making a Difference

The couple travels to the places where their money is making a difference.

" Getting out to India, to Africa - that's critical for me to make sure my

foundation is doing effective work and renews my commitment to take all the

wealth I have and make sure it goes back to causes like world health, " said

Bill.

This year the Gates Foundation donated more than $1 billion to malaria

immunization, HIV/AIDS prevention, education and other causes. The

foundation receives 140 grant requests a day.

" It's neat in terms of giving all this money back . I've been, maybe, the

luckiest person and help the people who have been unlucky to have better

lives, " said Bill.

On the eve of their wedding 11 years ago, Bill's mother wrote Melinda a

letter, saying that with great wealth comes great responsibility. Melinda

says that set them on the philanthropic road. They now teach that lesson to

their three children.

" When we go to Africa, what are we doing there? Taking blankets to children,

taking medicines to children, " said Melinda. " That's already ingrained in

our children. We talk a lot in our household about that we have a

responsibility as a family to give back to the world. "

ABC News' Bob Woodruff filed this report for " World News Tonight. "

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=1453600

_________________________________________________________________

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