Twitter boss donates $ 1 billion to fight Covid-19

Text by: RFI Follow

Twitter founder and boss Jack Dorsey announced on Tuesday April 7 that he will donate $ 1 billion to help fight the coronavirus pandemic.

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In a series of tweets, Jack Dorsey explains that this billion dollar donation he makes to the fight against the coronavirus represents 28% of his fortune. To reach this amount, he will gradually sell shares in his other company, Square, specializing in digital payment.

" When we have defused this pandemic, the money will be redirected to girls' health and education, as well as universal income, " said the billionaire, whose fortune is estimated at $ 3.3 billion by Forbes. Jack Dorsey sees these two areas as potential solutions to "the problems the world faces ".

Universal income has sparked renewed interest from many politicians and businessmen, while the economic crisis linked to the Covid-19 has put millions of people out of work. " It's a great idea that needs to be tested, " he continues.

Bezos and Zuckerberg also gave

The funds will be allocated via its Start Small foundation, transparently. A spreadsheet he shared online indicates a first grant of $ 100,000 to the American food fund. " It is important (that it is transparent) so that others and I can learn from it ", justifies the one who had given a third of his Twitter actions to his employees in 2016.

Jeff Bezos, the boss of Amazon and the richest man in the world, announced on Instagram five days ago that he was donating $ 100 million to American food banks. Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, and his wife Priscilla Chan donated $ 25 million for research into treatments for the coronavirus.

(With AFP)

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• Coronavirus
• Health and Medicine