Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation pledges $7 billion to address hunger and poverty in African continent
NAIROBI, Kenya - American billionaire Bill Gates under his charity organization, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged to commit $ 7 billion in the next four years to tackling hunger, poverty, disease, and gender inequality in the African continent.
Gates said the resources will be channeled towards strengthening health systems and enhancing access to health care in the African continent.
“This new commitment to support African countries is in addition to existing Gates Foundation’s funding to multilateral organizations, including Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.”
The philanthropist said this while addressing students at the University of Nairobi on Thursday.
He arrived in Kenya earlier this week where he meet with President William Ruto and top government officials plus other stakeholders in the private sector in a bid to fish for markets for American companies trading in the Genetically Modified Orgasm sector.
Speaking to University of Nairobi students, Mr. Gates said Africa’s young people have talent and an opportunity to accelerate progress and help solve the world’s most pressing problems.
Gates “The big global challenges we face are persistent. But we have to remember, so are the people solving them. I want to assure the university that my foundation will continue to support solutions in health, agriculture, and other critical areas and the systems to get them out of the labs and to the people who need them.”
This commitment comes as the world is grappling with hunger, malnutrition, and poverty.
UN data estimates that over278 a million people today across Africa suffer chronic hunger, with more than 37 million people facing acute hunger in the Horn of Africa.
“Today I am calling on global leaders to commit to finding solutions and strengthening systems in Africa by investing in people and innovations that can save lives and create opportunities for the world’s most vulnerable,” concludes Gates.
GAROWE ONLINE