Melinda Gates

“We have to be careful in how we use this light shined on us.”

“We talk a lot in our home together about where we're going, what I'm doing.”

“All lives have an equal value.”

“Government funding that's coming from the United States is making a huge difference on the ground in the developing world. It's really palpable - it's making a huge difference saving lives.”

“I want to live as private a life as I can because of our children.”

“My background was computer science and business school, so eventually I worked my way up where I was running product groups - development, testing, marketing, user education.”

“Kids are falling through the cracks and nobody notices it. That to me is what's wrong with the school system.”

“Women around the world should have a tool that helps them plan their pregnancies.”

“In the developing world, it's about time that women are on the agenda. For instance, 80 percent of small-subsistence farmers in sub-Saharan Africa are women, and yet all the programs in the past were predominantly focused on men.”

“The world is full of what seem like intractable problems. Often we let that paralyze us. Instead, let is spur you to action. There are some people in the world that we can't help, but there are so many more that we can. So when you see a mother and her children suffering in another part of the world, don't look away. Look right at them. Let them break your heart, then let your empathy and your talents help you make a difference in the lives of others. Whether you volunteer every week or just a few times a year, your time and unique skills are invaluable.”