THE COMPETITION IS OVER! CLICK HERE TO SEE THE WINNER!
The results are in and the Global Citizen March Madness bracket challenge is down to the championship round!
Here are the results of the Final Four:
MALALA vs. POPE FRANCIS
Malala 67%
Pope Francis 33%
Learn more about Malala HERE and Pope Francis HERE.
BILL AND MELINDA GATES vs. MICHELL OBAMA
Bill and Melinda Gates 55%
Michelle Obama 45%
Learn more about Bill and Melinda Gates HERE. and Michelle Obama HERE.
Voting in the Championship Round will only last 24 hours. The winner will be announced mid day on Tuesday April 5th.
THE CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND:
Learn more about the finalists:
Name: Malala Yousafzai
Hometown: Mingora, Pakistan
Profession: Author, Activist, Student
Issue Division: Education
Quick facts:
- She’s the youngest ever Nobel-prize laureate
- She appeared on TIME Magazine’s “100 most influential people” list three years in a row
- Spent her 18th birthday opening a school for Syrian refugees
Malala Yousafzai is a champion of education rights for girls and children around the world. Not only do her own humanitarian work and speeches shine as a beacon of hope for quality education to be provided to all, but she is incredibly persistent with her actions.
After being shot by the Taliban in 2012, Malala persisted in her campaign to fight for the right to free quality education for all, and took her activities global.
In 2014, she became the youngest person ever awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her humanitarian efforts on the rights for all girls and children to have an education, promoting peace by ending injustice for children.
Through her organization, Malala Fund, the young activist is currently fighting for education for 3.5 million Syrian children affected by the conflict in their country.
“Let us pick up our books and our pens, they are the most powerful weapons." - Malala Yousafzai
Vote for Malala as the ultimate champion of the Global Citizen bracket challenge this year!
To learn more about Malala, visit malala.org
Name: Bill & Melinda Gates
Hometowns: Seattle, Washington; Dallas, Texas
Profession: Philanthropists
Issue division: Water & Sanitation
Quick stats:
- 3 kids
- Among the most generous philanthropists in the world
- Both played pivotal roles at Microsoft
- Part of the Giving Pledge, a promise to give away the majority of their total wealth
Follow them @BillGates, @MelindaGates
Bill and Melinda Gates may be the most powerful philanthropists in the world. By some estimates, Warren Buffett has donated more than the Gates have, but his philanthropy goes through the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation because he trusts them to put it to the best use. By the end of 2015, the foundation has disbursed $36.7 billion in grants.
Over the years, the Gates have become experts in global health, global development as well as global policy and advocacy. Their annual letters and reports guide a substantial portion of the international aid community. And their investments have improved the lives of millions of people around the world.
Perhaps the most important cause for the Gates Foundation has been improving global health. The foundation has made essential contributions to control or end HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, pneumonia and other diseases; to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates; and to facilitate global vaccination efforts. Also, the world has gotten much closer to the eradication of polio thanks to the Gates Foundation.
The foundation’s continued investments in water and sanitation programs have helped to improve health standards around the world.
Ultimately, the Gates have an unfair advantage in this competition. As a power couple, they can assist and get easy buckets.
Reminder: Voting is only open for 24 hours, the 2016 Global Citizen March Madness Bracket Champion will be announced mid-day on April 5th.
Disclosure: The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is a funding partner of Global Citizen.
Editor's note: This piece has been updated to include a disclosure that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is a funding partner of Global Citizen. We regret the oversight.