Changing the World: A Conversation with Bill and Melinda Gates

Summary

In this Q&A session, the Gates discuss their work in health initiatives, particularly in addressing HIV/AIDS and malaria. They also talk about their travels and experiences connecting with people in different parts of the world where they work to make a difference.

Table of Contents

• The process of deciding what to focus on
• Connecting with people in different parts of the world
• Working in Lesotho to address HIV/AIDS
• Making a difference in people’s lives
• The satisfaction of helping others

Introduction

As the Gates move on to their next big venture, they take time to reflect on their journey of changing the world for the better. In this Q&A, they share insights on their focus on health initiatives, how they connect with people in the different parts of the world they work in, and the satisfaction that comes with making a meaningful difference in people’s lives.

Q&A

The process of deciding what to focus on

Q: Both of you embarked on your next career, helping to change the world. I’m curious what the process is when you decide what to focus on. There are so many things there.

A: Well, when I left the White House, I decided to focus on things that I had cared about when I was there, where I could still make a difference. One is our health access initiative, thanks largely to funding from the Gates Foundation where we’ve been able to drive down the price of AIDS and malaria drugs. You know, Melinda and I always knew we’d have the responsibility and the enjoyment of giving the resources away. So it was an exploration process, really traveling throughout the world. When you see the poorest and you see what we take for granted in terms of our children surviving, our children’s health, that became the thing to go after.

Connecting with people in different parts of the world

Q: Speaking of that, I know you have traveled together there. So I’m curious of a couple things. One is because both of you are so famous, how do you get past the bubble to really connect with people there?

A: We go to a lot of places where people have no television, so we’re not all that famous. You just have to go to these places and ask questions. When Bill and I went, Melinda was with us and she asked better questions than we did on some of these HIV/AIDS prevention efforts. I was very impressed. Well, there was a microbicide, which is a thing a woman can use to protect herself from getting HIV, and it was a trial. Understanding whether it was something that the woman was comfortable with and whether it was okay for her and for her partner, neither Bill nor I were willing to ask that in a very direct way. We were sort of hinting at it. But Melinda was able to ask very directly, both the male and female, and it was good. It’s important feedback.

Working in Lesotho to address HIV/AIDS

Q: One of the things that I respected about what Bill and Melinda were doing is they were willing to work in Lesotho. Lesotho had, when we were there, the third or fourth-highest AIDS infection rate in the world. But it had the only government at the time that was willing to say, look, we’re going to test everybody 12 years old or older unless they opt out. And we had gone out, our health access group, and found people who were HIV positive, who were willing to go up into these villages.

A: A third of the people live in the mountains so high that you can’t get there except on pack animals or foot. All they knew was we were showing up trying to help them. You know, I was just there in Malawi at one of our farm projects, and the woman that we were helping there was farming an acre with a hoe, and she had learned a new planting technique. And she looked at me and she said, you think you could do this? She said, well, do it then. And I got a hoe and we were planting together. She said, how’d you learn to do this? And I explained it when I was six. I lived on a little farm like this. And you know, that’s much more important that we can help them live their lives than who we used to be.

Making a difference in people’s lives

Q: So, I’m curious because both of you are very goal-oriented, I imagine there’s great satisfaction when you achieve a success.

A: Absolutely. I think the satisfaction comes from being able to measurably reduce deaths from malaria or deaths from maternal mortality. So seeing children survive and thrive is amazing. But you also feel satisfaction when you’re with someone who’s doing extraordinary work on the front lines, whether they’re a teacher or a farmer, and you see the difference that they’re making in the lives of people around them.

The satisfaction of helping others

Q: So in all of these things, you talk about community as being key, the people you work with.

A: The fact that we’ve been able to connect with people across the world who are trying to make a difference in their communities, it’s really inspiring. So it’s not just about big institutions, but it’s about individuals who are stepping up every day and saying, “I can make a difference in my own community,” whether it’s as simple as, “I can plant a garden,” or “I can go out and help somebody who needs a helping hand.”

Conclusion

The Gates have made it their mission to change the world through health initiatives and empowering communities across the globe. Through their travels and experiences, they have learned the importance of connecting with people, asking the right questions, and making a measurable impact in people’s lives. In their commitment to making the world a better place, they remind us of the importance of community and individual efforts in creating a better future.