 |
Summer 2008
Global Giving Round-Up
Overviews of best-practices around the world and links to learn more about them
Women's philanthropy in transformation in Australia
In Australia, women's philanthropy groups such as Australian Women Donors Network are focusing their attentions on trends in philanthropy to determine how women donors can have the greatest collective impact. In addition to supporting traditional philanthropic outlets, Australian women are increasingly mobilizing resources to evoke social change by benefitting women and girls causes that in turn assist their families and communities. This change from a solely charitable approach has the potential to transform Australian society, according to some observers. Attorney Eve Mahlab argues that "[t]he key to alleviating poverty is funding women" and urges women to apply what she describes as "not a gender bias but a gender lens" to thinking about philanthropy. One example is the philanthropic efforts of Jill Reichstein, who when she joined the board of trustees of her family's Reichstein Foundation was the only woman on it. At that time, the foundation favored her father Lance Reichstein's policy of giving to established organizations. Over the next 10 years she transformed the foundation into a model of social change philanthropy. (The Age, June 1, 2008)
Philanthropic sector in Israel is changing
The Jewish Funders Network (www.jfunders.org), a US-based organization of philanthropists and donors around the world, is opening an office in Jerusalem. That move is a reflection on changes in Israeli society, with great growth in wealth, with 7,200 Israelis now having more than $1 million in assets. Most observers believe the amount of giving is growing as well, though the exact amount is still unknown. A 2006 survey by Benjamin Gidron of Ben-Gurion University's Israeli Center for Third Sector Research, estimated that Israelis gave about $220 million per year, but more informal estimates are as high as $500 million. Some observers are skeptical of the importance of new philanthropy in the country, viewing it as a symptom of the government not doing its job. As philanthropist Oudi Recanati puts it "I think that there is a problem, and the problem is the perception of a certain part of society that the rich have to give. So if they don't give, they're criticized, but if they give, then they're also criticized." In any case, organizations such as JFN and others -- such as a new website called Giving Wisely (www.givingwisely.il) -- are working to professionalize the philanthropic sector and make it more transparent. (Jewish Daily Forward, May 1, 2008)
BNP Paribas Private Banking creates awards for individual philanthropy
The private banking section of BNP Paribas has established a pair of prizes in the area of individual philanthropy and recognized the first two honorees. The Grand Prix BNP Paribas 2008 award for philanthropy, which recognizes a philanthropist's body of work, was given to Mo Ibrahim for his efforts promoting good governance in Sub-Saharan Africa via The Mo Ibrahim Foundation. The Prix Coup de Cœur award, which recognized efforts in a single initiative, was presented to Amina Laraki-Slaoui for the Noor Center for Disabled Persons, which she established in Morocco after suffering a serious accident. A jury led by Nobel Prize-winning economist Amartya Sen determined the awards. (BNP Paribas press release, May 21, 2008)
Spanish philanthropist honored with Raymond Georis Prize
Spain's Diego Hidalgo Schnur, founder of the Fundación para las Relaciones Internacionales y el Diálogo Exterior (a think take on the role of Europe in the world -- www.fride.org) and the Club of Madrid (an association of more than seventy former democratically elected heads of State and Government -- www.clubmadrid.org), was awarded the 2008 Raymond Georis Prize for Innovative Philanthropy at the European Foundation Centre's annual general assembly, held this year in May in Istanbul." The main aim of the Prize is to reward individuals or organizations that really make a difference to people's lives," said Norine MacDonald, President of the Network of European Foundations' Mercator Fund. "This year's jury felt that Mr. Hidalgo's unique ability to convert dreams and idealistic hopes into concrete results that have a positive impact on the lives of so many epitomized the very spirit of the Prize." Hildalgo has extensive business experience in publishing and also worked at the World Bank, where he became the youngest staffmember leading the division on Sub-Saharan Africa. The Georis Prize was launched four years ago by the Mercator Fund. For more information, visit www.mercatorfund.net. (Mercator Fund press release, May 31, 2008)
MasterCard Foundation makes major commitment to information sharing in microfinance
The MasterCard Foundation has given a two-year, $740,000 grant today to Microfinance Information eXchange (MIX -- www.mixmarket.org) to launch MIX Market 2.0, a Web platform for sharing comparable and publicly available information on the financial strength and performance of microfinance institutions. MIX Market serves more than 25,000 visitors each month. The grant is part of the foundation's efforts to help build the capacity of the microfinance sector, which provides financial services to low-income people in developing countries. The MasterCard Foundation itself has a new CEO -- Reeta Roy -- who brings to the organization experience in health and development issues at companies including Abbott and Bristol-Myers Squibb, as well as the with the United Nations. Speaking about the MIX initiative, Roy says "Improving access to real-time data and ensuring greater transparency will drive performance in the microfinance sector." (MasterCard Foundation press release, May 7, 2008)
Nigeria: A scholar's take on giving back
After 20 years of living outside of Nigeria, her place of birth, Professor Leslye Obiora has decided to give back to Nigeria by forming the Institute of Research on African Women, Children and Culture (IRAWCC). With the goal of providing Africans with the skills and resources they need to escape poverty, the IRAWCC has a youth mentoring program, a women empowerment program focusing on micro-credit access and skills training, a legal unit dedicated to social mobilization, and a health program to encourage healthy habits and good hygiene. To teach the Nigerian participants' marketable skills, the IRAWCC partners with American academics and leaders in industry. (This Day (Nigeria), June 17, 2008)
Community leaders forge new approach to HIV prevention
Nancy Mahon, Executive Director of the M·A·C AIDS Fund, the philanthropic arm of Estée Lauder-owned M·A·C Cosmetics, recently discussed the leadership-based approach the organization is taking to encourage safe sex in South Africa and eliminate AIDS. According to Mahon, "the solutions to South Africa's AIDS crisis are going to be found locally. It is South Africans who will ultimately change the course of AIDS in South Africa." In order to facilitate this change, M·A·C AIDS Fund has partnered with Columbia University and UCLA to train local South African leaders on best practices for grassroots organizing, fundraising, and attention-getting to aid them in the fight against gender inequality and stigma that currently affect the country where nearly one in five people is HIV-positive. (M·A·C AIDS Fund press release, June 18, 2008)
Ecuadorian village benefits from the skills of students
When soccer player Ulises de la Cruz decided he would establish FundeCruz and donate 10% of his salary to help the Afro-Ecuadorian community of Piquiucho, he never imagined he would receive his greatest philanthropic advice from students. While FundeCruz achieved a great deal in a short period of time -- providing running water, a clinic, a school and a sports centre -- students of the Cass Business School at the City University of London proposed a business plan for transforming Cruz's philanthropy into sustainable economic development and poverty alleviation. Among the recommendations provided to FundeCruz was establishing a tomato processing plant to turn the low-value commodity already grown in the community into high-value products. (The Times (of London), May 22, 2008)
Chinese entrepreneur inspires others with his response to Sichuan earthquake
For the man named China's #1 philanthropist in 2007, Chen Guangbiao, donating money was the least he could do to aid victims of China's Sichuan earthquake. Within hours of visiting Mianzhu, one of the cities hit hardest by the quake, Chen returned with 60 bulldozers, 100 staff, and personally began pulling people out of the rubble. When discussing his future plans of donating television sets and radios to victims of the quake, Chen encouraged fellow entrepreneurs to take up philanthropy, commenting that, "Wealth is like water. You can keep it to yourself when you have only one cup, but you should share it with others when you have a whole river." The Sichuan earthquake has sparked a tremendous philanthropic response in China. According to the Hurun Report, at least 73 of the Top 100 individuals on its list of richest Chinese have made donations totaling $120 million. The response from the Chinese public as a whole was tremendous, with about $1.1 billion in donations made in the first week following the disaster. (Xinhua, June 4, 2008; Hurun Report, June 2008)
Taiwanese business leader pledges to give away 90% of his wealth
Terry Gou, Taiwan's third-wealthiest businessman, has pledged to donate 90 percent of his wealth to charity. Gou heads Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., the world's largest contract electronics manufacturer. In making such a large commitment to philanthropy, he follows similar efforts by business leaders such as Warren Buffet and Ted Turner. Gou's current philanthropy includes supporting effort to fight cancer, which claimed the lives of both his brother and his first wife. (Bloomberg, July 24, 2008)
Conference examines philanthropy for indigenous people in the Americas
Earlier this year, the International Funders for Indigenous People (IFIP -- www.internationalfunders.org), an affinity group of the US Council on Foundations, held a regional meeting in Querétaro, Mexico to bring together donors, nonprofit organization leaders, and leaders of indigenous people's communities and organizations in Mesoamerica to start the dialogue for a more effective mechanism of funding for indigenous peoples in the region. IFIP is hopeful that the regional meeting will help generate local support. Although indigenous communities make up about 30% of the population in Mexico, and in some states they are the majority, surprisingly few Mexican foundations support them. The meeting was part of efforts to change that in Mexico and other nearby countries. Monica Larenas, Vice President of the Fund for Nonviolence observed that "The value of the regional meeting is the combination of working with funders interested in the same area but also with the voices of activists in high quality sessions that feature issues with voices from the communities." Building on the success of the Mesoamerica meeting, plans are underway for a second regional IFIP meeting in two years, perhaps in India to focus attention to the Asia region. For example, "The Adivasi have not had the opportunity to gather from all regions of India," said Joshua Mailman, a member of IFIP's board (and of the Global Philanthropists Circle). "We could use the IFIP meeting to help organize that." (IFIP report)
Dutch family supports students in India
For Dutch philanthropists Linda van der Wijk and her husband Alko, providing Indian students in Gujarat and Rajastan with educational opportunities encouraged them to consider some of the root problems facing educational development in India, especially in regards to "brain drain," the phenomenon of educated Indians leaving the country to find jobs in regions of the world with more lucrative economies. To prevent this from occurring, the van der Wijks only provide scholarships to students who pledge to stay in India after receiving their education and encourage them to contribute to the scholarship's corpus fund so that future generations can receive similar access to education. Students say they do not mind the two stipulations as the fund allows them access to education they otherwise could only dream of. (ExpressIndia.com, June 14, 2008)
Arizona developer offers housing to poor Mexicans -- if they agree to conditions
Vecinos Dignos Sin Fronteras, or Dignified Neighbors Without Borders, a project begun by Powell "Gil" Gillenwater, a Arizona real estate investor, seeks to provide housing for poor Mexicans while giving them the skills necessary to escape poverty permanently. To reside in one of the 42 two-bedroom, 100-squarefoot duplexes the organization funded, individuals must pay a small rent, agree to keep their children in school until they earn a high school diploma, hold jobs, take courses on health, nutrition, and birth control, and volunteer at least 250 hours a year. In addition to sharing his wealth with some of Mexico's most impoverished, Gillenwater hopes Vecinos will serve as a development model for similar projects that discourage illegal immigration by creating domestic opportunities for Mexicans. (Forbes, May 5, 2008)
Synergos Southern Africa Advisory Board, GPC Members and Partners Respond to Xenophobic Violence
Violence against foreigners -- particularly against migrants and refugees who have fled neighboring countries such as Zimbabwe -- has flared up recently in South Africa. Addressing the underlying causes of this tragedy requires deep and sustainable political, social and economic advances in the region that may take years or decades to achieve. Synergos' partners and network members in the region are working in different ways to promote more equitable approaches to poverty and inequity that we hope will be part of these advances.
In the meantime, members of the Global Philanthropists Circle are working to address the current crisis. Wendy Appelbaum and Precious Moloi are signatories of a widely circulated statement by prominent South African women published in the Star newspaper. In addition, the Ackerman Family (GPC members as well) have been at the forefront of efforts to assist victims of the violence in South Africa, especially in the Western Cape through the provision of money and other resources. The Ackermans have used their company, Pick n Pay stores (the leading supermarkets in South Africa), as collection points for donations of food, blankets and other materials from the general public to assist people in need. The company has also contributed money to the relief effort, and some Pick n Pay stores are providing hot food to displaced people. The Ackermans are also contributing "nested bunk beds" developed by Shoebox Homes, a nonprofit organization providing affordable and innovative furniture for low-income dwellings. In addition, Suzanne Ackerman-Berman has been working closely with Cape Town Mayor Helen Zille and Western Cape Premier Ebrahim Rasool on crisis management.
Queen Rania of Jordan, Fazle Abed of Bangladesh, to be honored at University for a Night 2008
Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan and Fazle Hasan Abed, Founder and Chair of BRAC, will be honored at Synergos' University for a Night event in New York on September 23 with the David Rockefeller Bridging Leadership Awards. Each year, University for a Night convenes leaders from around the world -- from business, government and civil society -- to explore ways to create systemic solutions to poverty, inequity, conflict, environmental degradation and other critical problems. Dr. Abed, who leads one of the world's largest non-governmental organizations, will be joined in a plenary discussion by Wangari Maathai, Nobel Peace Laureate and Founder of the Green Belt Movement, and Jeff Skoll, Founding President of eBay and Founder and Chair of the Skoll Foundation and Participant Media. Following the plenary, they and 50 other global leaders will start the discussions at small tables over dinner about particular global challenges and initiatives. Instituto Rukha is Event Underwriter. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.universityforanight.org.
© 2008 The Synergos Institute/World Economic Forum
|
|
|
