By Larena Tannert
Although millions of people across the world know Melinda Gates as the wife of Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, she has made a name for herself throughout the years. She is now a co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which is working hard to create positive changes in our world. The foundation does not just work to create new changes, but it works to reverse old issues and solve problems that previously have gone unrecognized. An example of one of these problems is the lack of contraceptives for women across the globe. When Melinda was in Africa, she met women who did not have the money or resources to have another child and needed some form of contraceptive. Melinda understood the importance of this, influencing her to start the Family Planning Program, which is currently working to supply millions of women and girls in poor countries with the contraceptives they need. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation focuses on the health of people all around the world. In developing countries, the foundation works to improve people’s health and bring them out of hunger and poverty. Along with helping the lives of millions in impoverished countries, Melinda works actively in advocating for women’s equality. She is a proud feminist who encourages women to speak up and make themselves heard. “A woman with a voice is, by definition, a strong woman,” said Melinda in 2003, defining her beliefs and her message to women all around the globe. Melinda works hard to create a positive change in millions of people’s lives, along with working to inspire women to find their voice and make themselves heard. Overall, Melinda Gates serves as a leading figure in the movement to create a positive change for a better world.