Mackenzie Scott Makes Gift to Amref
(Photo: Amref Health Africa)
June 15, 2021 – American novelist and philanthropist Mackenzie Scott announced today that she is giving away more than $2.7 billion to 286 organizations, including Amref Health Africa. This brings Ms. Scott’s charitable giving to over $8.5 billion in less than one year.
Alongside Amref Health Africa, Ms. Scott’s long list of beneficiaries include schools, arts organizations, and organizations dedicated to female empowerment, health, and global poverty. In a post on Medium, Scott explained that she chose organizations that are “high-impact…in categories and communities that have been historically underfunded and overlooked.”
In the post, Scott also explained that the funds were made available to “enable [the organizations’] work, and as a signal of trust and encouragement, to them and to others.” This is Scott’s third wave of large gifts since her 2019 divorce from Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos.
“We [Ms. Scott, her husband, and her advisors] are all attempting to give away a fortune that was enabled by systems in need of change,” Ms. Scott wrote.
The funds gifted by Scott will be used to support our work across Africa, building the capacity of local health workers and health systems.
