Bill and Melinda Gates separate after 27 years of marriage

This was confirmed by the couple via Twitter. They affirm that they will continue to work together on the foundation that bears their name.

This Monday, philanthropists Bill and Melinda Gates announced their separation after 27 years of marriage. In a statement published on the Twitter accounts of both, they reported that they reached this decision after “thinking a lot”

“Over the past 27 years we have raised three incredible children and built a foundation that operates around the world to enable all people to live healthy and productive lives. We continue to share our belief in that mission and we will continue our work together at the foundation, but we no longer believe that we can grow together as a couple in this next phase of our lives, ”the text says.

The Gates asked for space and privacy for their family as they begin “to navigate this new life.”

Bill Gates, also a co-founder of Microsoft, and Melinda created their foundation in 1995 with the purpose of eradicating hunger and extreme poverty. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, based in Seattle (USA) today invests in research and programs in education and health, especially in developing countries.

Also read: The dark panorama left by the pandemic in the annual report of the Bill Gates foundation

Today it is one of the most important philanthropic organizations in the world, with funds of almost US $ 50,000 million. Its programs span lines such as health, global policy and development, global growth and opportunity, and US programs, lines that are also responsible for the foundation’s investments and grants.

The foundation is based on four great pillars:

1. Ensure that more children and youth survive and thrive.
2. Empower the poorest, especially women and girls, to transform their lives.
3. Fight infectious diseases that especially affect the poorest.
4. Inspire people to take action to change the world.

Bill and Melinda’s work earned them the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which was presented to them by Barack Obama in 2016.

Whether the divorce will in any way impact the foundation’s work is unknown, though the organization’s longtime CEO is Mark Suzman, while the two have served as trustees alongside Warren Buffet .

It should be remembered that last year, Bill Gates resigned from his position as director at Microsoft to dedicate himself to charitable activities.