Google co-founder donates $500,000 to Wikipedia

Google co-founder Sergey Brin has donated half a million dollars to Wikimedia, the organisation responsible for maintaining Wikipedia, though a charitable foundation.

The Brin Wojcicki Foundation, started by Brin and his wife, Anne Wojcicki, gave the site the money as part of its eighth annual funding drive.

The move comes as Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales has put out the call to internet users to help donate to the site, which depends heavily on user contributions.

"This grant is an important endorsement of the Wikimedia Foundation and its work, and I hope it will send a signal as we kick off our annual fundraising campaign this week," Wikimedia Foundation executive director Sue Gardner said in a statement.

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