In Vanity Fair’s October issue, Melinda French Gates sits down to discuss her next chapter in philanthropy, highlighting the impactful work of six extraordinary women. From fostering literary talent to mentoring entrepreneurs and supporting disaster preparedness, these women are driving change globally. French Gates, who now embraces full control over her resources, hopes to inspire others with means to follow suit, showcasing how dedicated individuals can create a ripple effect of positive impact. Through their diverse initiatives, these humanitarians are redefining philanthropy and championing gender parity, proving that with vision and commitment, significant strides can be made toward a more balanced and equitable world.
“I have full control over my resources now, and that feels fantastic,” says Melinda French Gates, who recently sat down with Vanity Fair to discuss her next era of philanthropic giving. “I’m choosing to give this money away philanthropically, right? I’m not choosing to go put it on something else. I hope people see those bets and say, ‘I want to be part of that’ or ‘Oh, that’s possible’ or ‘Let me go do this in my own area.’”
Melinda French Gates Embraces a New Era
Her work over the last few decades has brought her increasingly in contact with other women seeking to spread literal and figurative wealth. Per Nielsen IQ, as of 2024, women control $31.8 trillion of worldwide expenditure and in the next five years will account for an estimated 75 percent of discretionary spending, which can include charitable giving. Here, French Gates highlights six women with a range of interests and expertise, from Tsitsi Masiyiwa supporting disaster preparedness in Zimbabwe to Sara Blakely mentoring entrepreneurs, to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie fostering literary talent. “I’ve worked with all of them in different ways,” French Gates says, “and they affect me and I affect them.”
Many of them are interested in interrogating and broadening the very meaning of philanthropy—“there’s something about that word that’s very weighted,” as Adichie puts it—and all are committed to working toward gender parity. “We are living in a world where all the products and things that we are consuming, using, and affecting our day-to-day lives have been mostly made and designed through the male perspective,” says Blakely. “I just would love to have that be more balanced.” — Keziah Weir – VF
Whether with money, time, or advocacy, these six humanitarians listed below are working to improve lives around the world.
Anne Wojcicki
Location: San Francisco and Los Altos, California
Philanthropies: Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences, Anne Wojcicki Foundation
Mission: Celebrate and advance knowledge of scientific achievements
Anne Wojcicki, CEO of 23andMe, likens philanthropy to starting a company. She co-founded the Breakthrough Prize, rewarding recent scientific achievements with a $3 million award. “We should reward people for, ‘You did something amazing recently,’” she asserts.
Wojcicki’s mission is to make science relatable and inspire future scientists. Melinda Gates admires Wojcicki’s drive to change what she doesn’t like in the world and encourages others to do the same.
“Anyone can be a scientist,” Wojcicki says. “It’s not that elitist, ‘Oh, it’s only for white coats and certain types of people.’” What’s fun, she says, “is getting kids to recognise that potential.”
Cari Tuna
Location: San Francisco
Philanthropies: Good Ventures, Open Philanthropy
Mission: Improve the lives of as many people as possible by helping humanity thrive
Cari Tuna, former Wall Street Journal reporter, left journalism to cofound Good Ventures and Open Philanthropy. Her goal is to identify society’s blind spots and create impactful solutions. “Philanthropy, at its best, identifies society’s blind spots,” she says.
Melinda Gates commends Tuna’s rigorous approach, informed by her journalistic background. Tuna hopes the influx of younger philanthropists will challenge traditional methods and use their privilege responsibly.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Location: US, Nigeria
Philanthropies: Purple Hibiscus Trust Workshop
Mission: Foster and support African literary voices throughout the continent
“It feels a little strange to use that word, philanthropy,” Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie says. Renowned Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, known for both her written works—like Americanah, Half of a Yellow Sun, and We Should All Be Feminists—and public speaking, views her work as a duty rather than philanthropy. She aims to foster African literary talent through workshops and mentoring. “Success is not necessarily the natural consequence of talent,” she says, emphasising the need for opportunities. “There are many talented people who just don’t have opportunities to become successful, and so to be successful, I think, brings a kind of responsibility.”
“Creative talent from everywhere in the world is wonderful, but obviously my heart is in Africa.” Books, Adichie says, formed her. “I like to say that literature is my religion. Growing up, I don’t know that I would be the person I am without books. And so I think it’s profoundly important that we make sure that people who want to live the life of the mind can do so.”
Melinda Gates praises Adichie for inspiring women to share their stories by sharing her own. Adichie believes in the power of literature to shape individuals.
Adichie does writing workshops and teaches writing to open doors for talent—particularly African talent. “Chimamanda is truly a testament to the power of women telling their stories,” French Gates says. “By sharing her own story, she’s inspired other women to share theirs.”
Karlie Kloss
Location: Virtual, US, and international camps; Midwest
Philanthropies: Kode With Klossy, Gateway Coalition
Mission: Provide technical skills for youth; ensure access to abortions and wraparound care
Supermodel and philanthropist Karlie Kloss founded Kode With Klossy, a coding camp for girls and gender-expansive teens, in 2015. The camp has grown exponentially, with 3,000 scholars from 90 countries participating this summer. “It’s this ecosystem,” Kloss explains, noting that many alumni return as instructor assistants.
Melinda Gates praises Kloss for ensuring girls see themselves as leaders in tech. Kloss also co-leads the Gateway Coalition, ensuring access to abortions and comprehensive care, driven by a holistic view of supporting individuals.
Though the two efforts of Kode With Klossy and Gateway Coalition do not overlap, this holistic view of the individual drives both initiatives. “We didn’t want to reinvent the wheel,” Kloss says of Gateway, “because so many great people have been in this space for a very long time.”
Sara Blakely
Location: Atlanta
Philanthropies: The Sara Blakely Foundation
Mission: Support women through education, entrepreneurship, and the arts
Sara Blakely’s greatest mission is “to change the way the world sees and values women,” including women themselves. When she founded Spanx in 2000, hardly any primary patent holders were women. In 2024 she pledged to send a thousand girls, in kindergarten through sixth grade, to Camp Invention, a five-day camp put on by the National Inventors Hall of Fame with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
“She uses her platform to educate other entrepreneurs, to mentor them and say, ‘You can do this too,’” French Gates says.
In 2019 Blakely partnered with 3DE, a nonprofit dedicated to reengineering high school education, to create a “mindset series,” inspired in part by her integrated curriculum: Wayne Dyer cassette tapes her father gave her that encouraged visualisation and manifestation. “I started crying and thought, I’ve just spent 16 years in school being taught what to think and no one has ever taught me how to think,” says Blakely. Blakely’s curriculum is now in more than 60 high schools impacting some 15,000 students, a number that will double in the coming years.
Tsitsi Masiyiwa
Location: UK, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Uganda
Philanthropies: Higherlife Foundation, Delta Philanthropies, Masana wa Afrika
Mission: Support from education to disaster readiness
Tsitsi Masiyiwa, co-founder of Higherlife Foundation, passionately supports her community through education and disaster readiness initiatives. “Physically, spiritually, mentally, I’m part of these communities,” she says. Her journey began during Zimbabwe’s HIV/AIDS crisis, driven by a burden to help rather than financial motives.
Melinda Gates, who has known Masiyiwa for nearly a decade, admires her dedication and impact. Masiyiwa’s latest venture, Masana wa Afrika (“the warmth of the sun embraces Africa” in Xitsonga), focuses on supporting small community-based organizations often overlooked due to their scale. “We think these are the forgotten champions,” she states.
These six women, through their diverse efforts, are redefining philanthropy and making significant strides towards gender parity and global improvement.
Source: Vanity Fair Mag.