I have no use for money, says billionaire Gates
William Henry ‘Bill’ Gates (57) with an estimated wealth of $65
billion is as rich as two Kenyas; three Trinidads; and a dozen Montenegros but
is now engaged in the process of ridding himself of all the money in the hope of
extending the lives of others less fortunate than himself.
Having already given away $28 billion, the co-founder now intends
to eradicate polio, The Telegraph reported.
“I’m certainly well taken care of in terms of food and clothes,”
Mr. Gates said.
“Money has no utility to me beyond a certain point. Its utility is
entirely in building an organisation and getting the resources out to the
poorest in the world.”
Mr. Gates owns a lakeside estate in Washington State worth about
$150 million. The house has a swimming pool equipped with an underwater music
system.
But even at the age of 57, Mr. Gates is a restless man and wants
something more.
Mr. Gates and his wife Melinda have so far given away $28 billion
via their charitable foundation, more than $8 billion of it to improve global
health.
“We’re focused on the help of the poorest in the world, which
really drives you into vaccination. You can actually take a disease and get rid
of it altogether, like we are doing with polio,” Mr. Gates told the daily.
“Polio’s pretty special because once you get an eradication you no
longer have to spend money on it. It’s just there as a gift for the rest of
time.”
The disease is still endemic in Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
There is, however, one obstacle. Islamist groups believe polio
vaccination was a front for covert sterilisation and other western evils.
“It’s not going to stop us succeeding. It does force us to sit
down with the Pakistan government to renew their commitments, see what they’re
going to do in security and make changes to protect the women who are doing
God’s work and getting out to these children and delivering the vaccine,” Mr.
Gates said.
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