Wealthiest Philanthropists Around The World: Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, And More

With great power comes great responsibility. Listed in this article are five of the richest, most generous people in the world today.

Besides power and influence, generosity is one noble trait that all philanthropists share in common. These personalities understand that some projects and endeavours need support and traction in order to thrive. In this article, Tatler lists five of the world's richest and most popular givers.

1. Bill Gates

NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 20: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation co-founder Bill Gates speaks at Goalkeepers 2017, at Jazz at Lincoln Center on September 20, 2017 in New York City. Goalkeepers is organized by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to highlight progress against global poverty and disease, showcase solutions to help advance the Sustainable Development Goals (or Global Goals) and foster bold leadership to help accelerate the path to a more prosperous, healthy and just future. (Photo by Jamie McCar

Above NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 20: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation co-founder Bill Gates speaks at Goalkeepers 2017, at Jazz at Lincoln Center on September 20, 2017 in New York City. Goalkeepers is organized by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to highlight progress against global poverty and disease, showcase solutions to help advance the Sustainable Development Goals (or Global Goals) and foster bold leadership to help accelerate the path to a more prosperous, healthy and just future. (Photo by Jamie McCar

With a net worth of USD84.2 billion, Microsoft Corporation's developer Bill Gates was able to give USD27 billion to charity. He currently runs the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which was reported as the second-largest charitable foundation in the world last 2020.

The primary initiative of the organisation is to enhance healthcare and reduce extreme poverty across the globe. It also aims to expand educational opportunities among the lower class in the United States.

2. Jeff Bezos

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 19: Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos announces the co-founding of The Climate Pledge at the National Press Club on September 19, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Amazon)

Above WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 19: Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos announces the co-founding of The Climate Pledge at the National Press Club on September 19, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Amazon)

Jeff Bezos, the founder and former CEO of Internet giant Amazon, first started his multi-billion-dollar philanthropic initiative in 2018 with Bezos Day One Fund. The charity seeks to establish a network of nonprofit preschools and help organisations working with the homeless.

In 2020, the Bezos Day One Fund announced that 42 people from 24 states will receive immediate donations totalling USD105.9 million to "continue their critical work providing shelter and support for young families in communities across the country".

More from Tatler: Jeff Bezos' Space Launch: Everything You Need To Know

3. Mackenzie Scott

BEVERLY HILLS, CA - MARCH 04: Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos (L) and MacKenzie Bezos attend the 2018 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 4, 2018 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic)

Above BEVERLY HILLS, CA - MARCH 04: Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos (L) and MacKenzie Bezos attend the 2018 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 4, 2018 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic)

American novelist and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott recently revealed that she has given more or less USD2.7 billion to 286 organisations. Scott, who was formerly married to Bezos, said she wanted to influence to put light onto the less-privileged. “I want to de-emphasise privileged voices and cede focus to others, yet I know some media stories will focus on wealth,” she said.

“People struggling against inequities deserve centre stage in stories about the change they are creating. This is equally – perhaps especially – true when their work is funded by wealth. Any wealth is a product of a collective effort that included them. The social structures that inflate wealth present obstacles to them. And despite those obstacles, they are providing solutions that benefit us all," she added.

4. Oprah Winfrey

Above Oprah Winfrey speaks during Oprah's 2020 Vision on February 22, 2020 in San Francisco, California. | Photo by Steve Jennings/Getty Images

American talk show host Oprah Winfrey has given a big chunk of her fortune to three different charities: The Angel Network, The Oprah Winfrey Foundation, and The Oprah Winfrey Operating Foundation.

Among her latest efforts was the Coronavirus Relief. In April 2020, she promised to donate USD10 million to assist Americans in need. This included a USD1 million donation to America’s Food Fund, and undisclosed amounts to Minnie’s Food Pantry in Plano, Texas.

5. Mike Bloomberg

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg during Big Apple Circus Opening Night Gala Benefit at Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Brian Ach/WireImage)

Above New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg during Big Apple Circus Opening Night Gala Benefit at Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Brian Ach/WireImage)

Entrepreneur Michael "Mike" R Bloomberg has built Bloomberg Philanthropies, a group that focuses its resources on the environment, public health, arts, government innovation, and education.

The organisation also seeks to improve the lives of millions of people in more than 810 cities and 170 countries. In 2020, Bloomberg Philanthropies invested USD1.6 billion around the world. Over his lifetime, Mike Bloomberg has so far allotted USD11.1 billion to philanthropy.