Famous philanthropists who used their fortune for goodwill

Philanthropists are generally thought of as being extremely rich individuals who donate large amounts of money to causes that dear to them.

12:19 28 February 2014

Philanthropy is an essential element that assists charities to operate, as individuals who give their own money or their time, as a volunteer, to a cause they believe is important. These individuals are also sometimes trustees of large charitable organisations such as Oxfam or Greenpeace.

Bill and Melinda Gates

Bill Gates is known worldwide as the founder of Microsoft, the huge IT empire that spans the globe. He and his wife Melinda have long been involved in philanthropic works, setting up the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with the global aim of enhancing healthcare and reducing poverty. Their intention in America is to expand opportunities for education and access to IT.

Sir Cliff Richard

The pop star and musician Sir Cliff Richard has over 50 years of success in the music world and is noted for his involvement in Tearfund, a charity based on Christian principles that works on tackling poverty in a number of countries across the world. He is also a donor to Alzheimer's Research UK as well as to many other charities through the Cliff Richard Charitable Trust.

George Clooney

The Hollywood film star is involved with many organisations seeking to end oppression and suffering throughout the world. Notable contributions are to help humanitarian work in the Darfur conflict in Sudan and organising Hope for Haiti Now, a 2010 charity telethon to raise money for victims of the earthquake on the Caribbean island.

Andrew Carnegie

Born of Scottish parents, Andrew Carnegie became a rich industrialist in America, with a view to making as much money as possible and giving it away to charities or for good works. He gave much of his fortune away to causes involved with world peace, but also built many hundreds of libraries and the world-famous Carnegie Hall in New York.

Francesco Corallo

This Italian-born entrepreneur runs the Atlantis World Group of Companies that has its major operations in the Caribbean, running gaming and gambling establishments. He makes significant contributions to a range of charities, and a recent Italian court update on Francesco Corallo prohibited the police and Minister of Internal Affairs from linking him to the mafia.

J. Paul Getty

The American oil billionaire established the J. Paul Getty Trust in 1953 and his interest in art and antiquities led to the establishment of the J. Paul Getty Museum, as well as a conservation institute, a research institute and the Getty Foundation, which gives grants for the "understanding and preservation of the visual arts."

Howard Hughes

The notoriously reclusive film producer and aviator was an immensely successful entrepreneur who built a billion dollar fortune. He founded the not-for-profit medical research organisation entitled The Howard Hughes Medical Institute. It spends hundreds of millions of dollars a year on its research projects.

Dolly Parton

The acclaimed country singer is also famous for the contribution she has made to children's education. She founded the Imagination Library that donates books to children to help them develop reading skills prior to starting school.