On July 3, 2015, Robbie Couch writes on Unworthy:
This is Prince Alwaleed bin Talal. He’s CRAZY rich. Like, wealthier-than-the-entire-country-of-Paraguay rich.
But don’t fret. He’s great, I promise. Read on…
Here he is at a press conference July 1, 2015, where he announced he’s doing something awesome with all his money. Image by Fayez Nureldine/AFP/Getty Images.
He’s the 60-year-old nephew of Saudi Arabia’s royal leader, King Salman. And he has $32 billion.
In case you’re wondering, Forbes pegs him as the 34th wealthiest human on the planet.
But before you get upset with Alwaleed and pull an Anne Hathaway because you don’t have $32 billion…
We feel you, Anne. GIF via “Love & Other Drugs.”
…you should know Alwaleed uses a good chunk of his change to make the world a better place.
The prince has given billions of dollars to various philanthropic efforts. His foundation has supported projects in 92 countries around the globe!
And this week, he just stepped up his charity game even more.
On July 1, 2015, Alwaleed announced he’s giving away his entire $32 billion fortune to charity.
Every. Last. Penny.
His gargantuan gift will go to his own nonprofit, Alwaleed Philanthropies, throughout the next several years. There, the dollars will bolster a handful of causes worldwide, likeempowering women, eradicating diseases, assisting in disaster relief, ending poverty, increasing intercultural understanding, developing underserved communities … shall I go on? Because there’s more.
Here’s his two cents on the matter:
Image via Fayez Nureldine/AFP/Getty Images.
As if he needed us to like him even more, the prince noted his decision was inspired by the one, the only, Mr. Bill Gates.
Alwaleed said the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which launched about 15 years ago to do things like help kids be able to attend school and fight preventable diseases,prompted him to empty his wallet for good.
Gates called Alwaleed’s move “an inspiration to all of us working in philanthropy around the world.”
Bill Gates being awesome in Paris, France, in June 2015. Image via Bertrand Guay/AFP/Getty Images.
In this spirit, ALL wealthy people should support the proposed Capital Homestead Act (http://www.cesj.org/learn/capital-homesteading/capital-homestead-act-a-plan-for-getting-ownership-income-and-power-to-every-citizen/ and http://www.cesj.org/learn/capital-homesteading/capital-homestead-act-summary/. See http://cesj.org/learn/capital-homesteading/ and http://cesj.org/…/uploads/Free/capitalhomesteading-s.pdf). A provision of this Act is as a substitute for inheritance and gift taxes, a transfer tax would be imposed on the recipients whose holdings exceeded $1 million, thus encouraging the super-rich to spread out their monopoly-sized estates to all members of their family, friends, servants and workers who helped create their fortunes, teachers, health workers, police, other public servants, military veterans, artists, the poor and the disabled.So, an important lesson to all those who can afford to lend a helping hand:
Be awesome like Prince Alwaleed. He’s living proof the world needs more big hearts — not big bank accounts.
