We see a world that’s getting better, say Bill and Melinda Gates in 2018 Annual Letter

Sharing a laugh with the Zhou Mingting family in Hainan, China. （www.gatesnotes.com）

SEATTLE, February 13 -- Today, Bill and Melinda Gates share their 2018 Annual Letter, "The 10 Toughest Questions We Get." In this year’s letter, the 10th one that they’ve written, Bill and Melinda respond to 10 tough questions they’ve received over the years from nonprofit partners, government leaders, the general public – and supporters and critics alike.

They open the letter by noting that while the majority of headlines focus on the negative, they see a world that’s getting better, citing that the number of children who die every year has been cut in half since 1990 and extreme poverty has declined by nearly half in just 20 years.

“Being an optimist isn’t about knowing that life used to be worse. It’s about knowing how life can get better. And that’s what really fuels our optimism,” write Bill and Melinda Gates. “Although we see a lot of disease and poverty in our work—and many other big problems that need to be solved—we also see the best of humanity. We spend our time learning from scientists who are inventing cutting-edge tools to cure disease. We talk to dedicated government leaders who are being creative about prioritizing the health and well-being of people around the world. And we meet brave and brilliant individuals all over the world who are imagining new ways to transform their communities.”

The 10 questions in the letter touch on a variety of topics ranging from education and climate change, to politics and partnership.