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Bill Gates Reveals What He'd Do If He Lived On $2 A Day

Bill Gates Reveals What He'd Do If He Lived On $2 A Day

He made the revelation on a blog post.

James Dawson

James Dawson

Bill Gates has had so much money for such a long amount of time, I'd hedge a bet to say he probably never even thinks about it.

If you founded Microsoft, you could buy anything you pleased, whenever you pleased.

But say, in a hypothetical situation in which Gates' company crumbles into dust and his net worth plummets, what would he do? How would he live his life on $2 a day?

According to a blog post he wrote back in April, he'd raise chickens.

He wrote: "There's no single right answer, of course, and poverty looks different in different places."

"But through my work with the foundation, I've met many people in poor countries who raise chickens, and I have learned a lot about the ins and outs of owning these birds. It's pretty clear to me that just about anyone who's living in extreme poverty is better off if they have chickens."

His mains reasons? Chickens are cheap and easy to take care of. They're a worthwhile investment. Eating chickens - and their eggs - is good for your health, and most importantly, they generate income.

Bill and Melinda Gates
Bill and Melinda Gates

Credit: PA

Tech Insider reporter Chris Weller expanded on Gates' business plan, saying: "Through research and trips to West Africa, Gates has found that after a period of three months, a typical owner of eight to 10 chickens can yield a flock of 40 chicks. With a sale price of $5 per chicken, which Gates notes is typical in West Africa, an owner can earn over $1,000 a year. The extreme-poverty line, meanwhile, hovers around $700 a year."

Gates and his wife Melinda even have a foundation that has teamed up with the Heifer International charity that donates livestock to poor families across the world. Their goal is to help 30% of families in sub-Saharan Africa raise chickens.

In January, it was estimated that Gates would become the world's first trillionaire, according to Oxfam.

The charity suggests the record will be made in the next 25 years, meaning at the very latest he would become a trillionaire at age 86.

According to the 'An Economy for the 99%' report, just eight of the world's richest billionaires have as much money as the 3.6 billion people who make up the poorest half of the global population.

And despite the report highlighting his 'commendable attempts to give [his money] away through his foundation', Gates' net worth has increased by $25 billion (£20 billion) since he retired from playing a part in day-to-day operations at Microsoft in 2014.

Last year his net worth stood at $75 billion (£60 billion).

Lend us a tenner, mate?

Featured Image Credit: PA Images

Topics: bill gates