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March 2002
Global Giving Round-Up
Overviews of best-practices around the world and links to learn more about them
Costa Rican model shapes South African rural health care initiative
The Africa Foundation (www.africafoundation.org) is using a $103,000 grant from the Flora Family Foundation to implement a novel Health Care Container Clinic program in rural South Africa. Based on a model developed by The Costa Rican Foundation for Sustainable Development and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the project aims to overcome geographic isolation and the lack of health care infrastructure by offering quality basic health care and medical expertise to medically underserved rural communities in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Sweat equity in South Africa leads to rural school improvement partnerships
People power has made a huge difference in rural South African communities where schools were literally falling apart. A community-based initiative led by a teacher impatient with the provincial government's slow pace at repairing schools, resulted in a movement by local people to do repairs themselves, even building new classrooms. Their work drew the attention of Reggie Naidoo, a former union activist now in the corporate sector, and he linked the community with the foundation his company (Decillion Limited) had established; the Decillion Foundation then provided financial support. Ultimately, the local education administrator joined in, resulting in a four-part partnership including the community, government, individual leaders and corporate donors. This "sweat equity" model is being replicated in other school communities in South Africa. (Mail & Guardian, January 31, 2002)
Charity brings taste of freedom to Nepali children living with jailed mothers
A British citizen who became interested in Nepal after studying the Nepali language with a Nepali teacher in London, has turned his attention -- and resources -- towards helping children in Nepal whose mothers are in jail. Following the death of his wife, Philip Holmes decided to focus his energies on philanthropy, and, following a first visit to Nepal in 1999, created and registered the Nepal Child Welfare Organisation as an NGO aiming to provide shelter, clothing and other care for these children, who previously lived in the prisons with their mothers. Thirty-two children are currently receiving help. (The Kathmandu Post, January 21, 2002)
BasicNeeds supports self-help for mentally ill in India
One of the gravest but often overlooked consequences of dire poverty is mental illness, which makes even it even harder for people barely subsisting to help themselves in a meaningful way. In 2000, to address this terrible problem, social entrepreneur Chris Underhill launched BasicNeeds (www.basicneeds.org.uk), a British-based initiative, in India with goal of strengthening the self-confidence, literacy, numeracy and practical skills of people to help them become more independent and ultimately able to hold a job or start a microenterprise. Underhill was previously CEO of the Intermediate Technology Development Group and founded a horticultural therapy organization called Thrive. A pilot program in Bangalore, India, includes community outreach programs to break down prejudice against people with mental illness. Supported by World in Need, a British charitable trust, and the Joel Joffe Charitable Trust, BasicNeeds is organizing new projects in Sri Lanka and Ghana.
South African environmentalist honored for innovative leadership
Philanthropy doesn't always come in the form of money, if you follow the model of award-winning South African environmentalist/activist Mandla Mentoor. A little more 10 years ago, Mentoor launched a backyard recycling operation at his home near Johannesburg. Today, that business is Amandla Waste Creations, an environmental clean-up and waste-recycling business that is generates profits, jobs and a role model for what community-based businesses can be. As part of his operation, Mentoor has developed and runs a program to educate children and adults about their environmental rights through a system of "enviro-shares" made up of information-sharing and management skills workshops dealing specifically with environmental problems. His program now operates in conjunction with provincial government, NGOs and the private sector. These achievements are among the reasons Mentoor, who serves as coordinator for the Environmental Justice Networking Forum for Gauteng province, was recently honored with the 2002 Individual Award in South Africa's annual Investing in the Environment competition. (Mail & Guardian, January 30, 2002)
Bringing success back home -- South Asian businessmen share their US successes
In 1980 Safi Qureshy and two partners founded AST Research, a manufacturer of personal computers, in a California garage. In 1997, AST, by then a Fortune 500 company, was sold to Samsung, and Pakistan-born Qureshy (now based in southern California) turned to two new careers -- one as venture capitalist, the other as philanthropist. His SQ Foundation (www.sqfoundation.org), established in 2000 and headquartered in Karachi, focuses on using information technology to improve education and health care delivery in poor communities within Pakistan. It purchased the Pakistani rights to Sesame Street, which is produced as Khul Ja Sim Sim. The Foundation says that "in all its areas of intervention, [it] seeks to create partnerships and linkages, which enable the development of replicable, scaleable models."
Volunteer high-tech initiative builds Web sites for nonprofits worldwide
Here's a Silicon Valley dot-com that doesn't focus on creating multimillionaires; rather, the goal of CharityFocus (www.charityfocus.org) is to recruit volunteers to build informational Web sites for non-profits around the world -- and help them raise funds as well as consciousness. Launched by four "techies" in 1999, CharityFocus now has 1,200 volunteers who have helped create 700 Web sites. It has formed alliances with many corporations, including major high-tech companies, for product donations and funding.
Canadian competition encourages social entrepreneurs
Toronto-based Social Capital Partners (SCP -- www.socialcapitalpartners.ca) has announced a new business plan competition that aims to encourage social entrepreneurship in Canada, with emphasis on projects that employ disadvantaged people. The designer of the best plan will win Cdn. $15,000, plus a chance at Cdn. $1 million in funding and the opportunity to work with SCP in developing the business. Founded in 2001, SCP is among a new -- and still very small -- generation of venture philanthropists in Canada who use business approaches to solve social problems.
Taking control of their destino -- US Hispanic philanthropists form foundation
Latino business and community leaders in California, troubled by the lack of grassroots supports for community initiatives, have organized Destino 2000 as a model fund to encourage communities and business leaders to "give back." Started by the Ventura County Community Foundation in California, it's close to reaching its goal of a $400,000 endowment. Board member Danny Villanueva, a businessman and former professional football player who is a key driver of the fund, and other Latino leaders, are targeting not just the Hispanic community but a larger constituency of local leaders to build it up. (Los Angeles Times, December 30, 2001)
Philanthropy Ink: Helping others -- How long will it last?
Since the attacks of September 11, Americans have invested more time in volunteering and helping others. But this current involvement may not last, asserts Robert Putnam, the Harvard University political scientist who wrote Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. He says that communal volunteering will likely wane unless government, charities and others entities take action to encourage continued social engagement. Putnam's findings were included in an article in American Prospect (February 11, 2002).
© 2002 The Synergos Institute
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