

Here are the stories of five of these heroes. The world is a better place because of what you do. To all of them, wherever they are, let me say thank you. They are just a few of the many people using their talents to fight poverty, hunger, and disease and provide opportunities for the next generation. I wanted to call attention to some heroes among us. And while they may be too humble call themselves heroes, I can think of no better word to describe them. These and millions of other people like them are making a difference in our world. I’m not a vaccinator in Afghanistan combatting polio, an agricultural extension officer in India helping farmers grow more food, or a teacher standing in front of a class each morning to do one of the toughest jobs I know-preparing the next generation to succeed in college and life. Although our foundation funds a lot of efforts to help improve the world, I sacrifice little compared to the people doing the hard work that makes progress possible. In many ways, being a philanthropist is easy.
