Adapted from the Annual Letter

The story of wild poliovirus is one powerful example of how philanthropy can catalyze progress. At one point, 7,000 children were paralyzed from wild poliovirus every week. Philanthropists, like Rotarians—who are able to take risks and dedicate resources that others could not—organized efforts to support eradication solutions, government efforts in polio-affected countries, and frontline heroes to reach children in even the most remote parts of the world. As a result of these global efforts, in 2023, the number of people infected by wild poliovirus dropped to 12 for the entire year.

In the case of polio, philanthropy helped make the seemingly impossible possible. Many more of the greatest challenges that face our world today already have solutions—existing and emerging—that can save lives. As I share in my letter, philanthropy now has a chance to step forward and turn those solutions into real impact for people.

There’s already so much generosity in the world, and together, we can tap into it and make certain everyone has the opportunity to live a healthy and productive life. Find out what we can achieve in my 2024 annual letter.

Mark Suzman,
CEO, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation