MacKenzie Bezos, the former wife of Jeff Bezos – the chief of Amazon, has pledged half her wealth to charity by signing the Giving Pledge.
The Giving Pledge is an initiative by Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, and Melinda Gates that encourages the richest people across the world to donate more than half of their wealth to philanthropy and charity.
The net worth of MacKenzie Bezos, one of the richest women in the world, is estimated to be around $37 billion. She and Jeff Bezos divorced earlier this year and in the following settlement, she acquired 4% stake in Amazon.
“In addition to whatever assets life has nurtured in me, I have a disproportionate amount of money to share. My approach to philanthropy will continue to be thoughtful. It will take time and effort and care,” she said in an official statement.
What is the Giving Pledge?
According to its official website, the Giving Pledge “is a commitment by the world’s wealthiest individuals and families to dedicate the majority of their wealth to giving back.” As of 2019, there are a total of 204 pledgers from around 23 countries across the world.
The signatories contribute towards a range of philanthropic causes such as global health, poverty alleviation, refugee aid, medical research, education, arts and culture, and environmental sustainability among others.
Among the signatories of this powerful initiative are Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, Tesla’s Elon Musk, Virgin Group’s Sir Richard Branson, and businessman and author Micheal Bloomberg.
Isn’t this a beautiful gesture by MacKenzie Bezos? What do you think?
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