The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will donate $750 million over the next ten years to make vaccinations available to more children in developing countries. This contribution brings the Gates' commitment to childhood vaccination to $1.5 billion.
The funds will support the work of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), a partnership between governments and aid organizations that focuses on speeding development of new vaccines, strengthening vaccine-delivery systems, and improving access for poor countries. Julian Lob-Levyt, GAVI's executive secretary, says the grant will help the organization expand its efforts. "Strong immunization systems do not happen overnight," he notes. "Scaling up services and building up natural capacity on the ground requires long-term support."
GAVI was founded in 1999 with a five-year, $750 million grant from the Gates Foundation. GAVI says it has prevented 670,000 deaths since its inception and aims to vaccinate 90% of children in developing countries by 2015. Says Microsoft founder Bill Gates: "We can say very strongly we've never made a better investment."
[Thanks, BoingBoing, for the great photos! And, loyal readers of Toner Mishap, here's a link to the full story onYahoo.]
5 comments:
There may be many reasons to like Bill Gates, but damn, those pants aren't one of them! With all his money, can't that man afford a better pair of slacks?
He looks a little stoned to me.
I have a good Bill Gates story, happened to a friend of my husbands, so I know it's not an urban legend. They drove past 'some guy' and his wife, stopped on the highway with a flat tyre, and they stopped to change it. The guy was stuck, and really grateful for the help. He offerend my friend some money, which he of course refused, saying it was ok, he always stops to help people.
Anyway, a few months later, he got a call from his bank, to say his mortgage had been paid. The guy in the car was B Gates, and he'd written down our friend's license, and tracked his bank, and paid his mortage off for him!! How nice is THAT! Wow..
Typical Bill Gates, ruining it for those of us who need help, but can't afford to pay the Good Samaritans. So now that I cannot pay off someone's mortgage, should I plan on making a monthly payment on the credit care for the nice person. Forget it, don't help me.
He cares more about others than he cares about himself - that's what is amazing about Gates.
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