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TODAYS donation pushes Bill Gates into an even more exalted position as the worlds biggest philanthropist.
The Gates foundation, which is worth $30 billion, (17billion), is now the largest charity to have been created by a single benefactor or private company by a factor of three, following a previous $3 billion gift from its founder last July. Mr Gates has stated that he intends to give away 90 per cent of his fortune, which is currently valued at about $50 billion.
The causes to which he has channelled his wealth global health inequalities, education programmes, public libraries and projects around his home town of Seattle have changed dramatically because of his contributions.
To date, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation has been the largest recipient of his charity. His pledge today follows an initial $750 million grant in 1999, which was used to help to set up the organisation to support research and improve access to vaccines.
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