11 MUHARRAM 1443H / 20 August 2021

Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabaraktuh.
Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. May our newsletters become a source of inspiration and guidance to you and the people around you. Ameen.

We cannot deny that when it comes to money, not many are able to spend large sums to help others who are in need. Not to mention at a time when the world is facing a very serious economic problem. But there are still notable figures who continue this pure work of helping other with a very large sum of money. Below are some of these figures:

 

1- Jamsetji Tata: 

Jamsetji Tata is the father of the Indian Industry Jamsetji Tata (1839-1904). The total donations that he has made amounted to US$102.4bn. He was named the world’s biggest philanthropist in the last 100 years. His donations focuses on education and healthcare.

2- Bill Gates & Melinda French Gates:

Bill & Melinda Gates total donations amounted to US$74.6bn. Their donations focuses on healthcare.

3- Henry Wellcome: 

Henry Wellcome (1853-1936) of the United Kingdom total donations amounted to US$56.7bn. In the late 1800s, he made his initial wealth in pharmaceuticals. Wellcome Trust, a charitable foundation was established with legacies from the pharmaceutical magnate Henry Wellcome to fund research to improve human and animal health. His donations focuses on healthcare.

4- Howard Hughes:

Film tycoon Howard Hughes (1905-1976) who claimed the fourth spot on the list, established the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in 1953 to support biomedical research. His donations focuses on research and development.

5- Warren Buffett:

Popularly known as the ‘The Oracle of Omaha’, Warren Buffett, had made a personal donations of US$37.4bn. Buffett gifted the bulk of his Berkshire Hathaway shares to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, as well as the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation and non-profits founded by his children. His donations focuses on healthcare.

6- George Soros:

In 1979, George Soros began his philanthropy by giving scholarships and establishing the Open Society Foundation, which includes more than 20 national and regional foundations. In 2017, he transferred US$18bn to Open Society Foundations. His donations focuses on human rights and justice.

7- Hans Wilsdorf:

The founder of Rolex, Hans Wilsdorf (1881-1960), endowed his economic ownership in Rolex, the watchmaking empire, to create Hans Wilsdorf Foundation in 1945. Currently, the foundation is administered by 8 board members and has been making an estimated annual donation of more than US$100mn. His donations focuses on community and development.

8- JK Lilly Sr:

With total donations worth US$27.5bn, JK Lilly Sr (1861-1948) earned the eighth position on the list. In 1937, JK Lilly Sr along with his sons established Lilly Endowment to support community development, education and religion. His donations focuses on community and development.

9- John D Rockefeller:

He is often regarded as the wealthiest American of all time. John D. Rockefeller (1839-1937), in 1913, established the Rockefeller Foundation with a US$100mn corpus and gave away US$540 million before his death in 1937. The Foundation has distributed more than US$22bn in current value since its inception. His donations focuses on healthcare.

10- Edsel Ford : 

Son of Henry Ford, the founder of Ford Motor Company, Edsel Ford (1893-1943) achieved the tenth spot on the list. In 1936, Edsel Ford established the Ford Foundation with an initial gift of US$25,000. The foundation has made a cumulative donations of US$12.4bn. His donations focuses on human rights and justice.