Asian Philanthropy Forum

Gates Foundation Supports Rice Research in Asia

IRRI (International Rice Research Institute) was founded in 1960 and is supported by several US families such as Ford and Rockefeller. The concept was to apply scientific tools to increase rice productivity and decrease hunger and poverty. The foresight of the leaders and funders led to major successes in what is now known as the Green Revolution in Asia.

Around 1.1 billion people struggle on incomes of less than a dollar a day. Higher food prices, caused by increasing demand and stagnating growth in productivity - threaten to increase the number of poor people and push them deeper into poverty. To address this issue, IRRI created a six step action plan:

1. Help farmers improve management of the crop to reduce existing gaps between actual and potential yield.

2. Accelerate the delivery of new post-harvest technologies to reduce losses.

3. Accelerate the introduction and adoption of higher yielding rice varieties.

4. Strengthen and upgrade the rice breeding and research pipelines.

5. Accelerate research on the world's thousands of rice varieties so scientists can tap the vast reservoir of untapped knowledge they contain.

6. Develop a new generation of rice scientists and researchers for the public and private sectors.

IRRI is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year to ease poverty and ensure food security. Their goal is to raise $300 million from donors in the US and Asia to create the second Green Revolution in Asia. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation made a significant contribution to the campaign. Here is a short clip from Jeff Raikes, CEO of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation explaining why supporting IRRI is important. He encourages philanthropists in Asia to join them in the campaign.

Ingenuity Fund Challenge: Win Trip Abroad to Witness Grameen Foundation's Work

by guest author, Seena Aras, Director of Online and Annual Giving at Grameen Foundation

Despite incredible economic progress over the past two decades, Asia remains home to the majority of the world’s poor people. 

Grameen Foundation creates economic opportunities that help the world’s poorest, especially women, improve their lives and escape poverty. We focus on five core countries in Asia—China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, and the Philippines—where we have provided support for many years.   Together, these countries are home to more than 60 percent of the world’s poor people, living on just $2.50/day, and more than 70 percent of the world’s poorest people, living on just $1.25/day.

Now, you and a guest can have the chance to take part in our innovative delivery of microfinance and technology services to the world’s poorest people—all by joining The Ingenuity Fund Challenge and competing for the grand prize trip. 

The Ingenuity Fund Challenge is a way for you to tap into your own creativity and make an impact on ending the cycle of poverty endured by millions around the world. By joining the Challenge, you’ll have the opportunity to develop the most compelling ways to educate your friends, families, and networks about Grameen Foundation. Through March 31st, 2010, Challenge participants will develop compelling, creative personal Ingenuity Fund Challenge fundraising pages on Grameen Foundation’s website and raise awareness of and funds for Grameen Foundation’s work through personal networks, social media, and other offline activities. The participant with the most creative, ingenious web page and outreach effort will win the grand prize of an overseas field visit.

Our donors like Annie Chen and Raja Malkani have witnessed firsthand our work in Inner Mongolia, an autonomous region of China. During the trip, Annie visited Chifeng Zhaowuda Women’s Sustainable Development Association (CZWSDA), a microfinance institution, where she met microfinance clients and saw how their small enterprises improved their lives and those of their families.  Raja met microfinance borrowers stitching and selling clothing, operating seed shops, and growing and selling crops. “It’s amazing what microfinance can do for such people,” Raja said. “The borrowers I met didn’t just gain financially; they gained self-esteem and a sense of independence, too.”

“I like the fact that microfinance is built on a model that involves empowering individuals to explore and develop their own potentials and strengths, rather than on giving handouts,” Annie said. 

If you are up to the challenge, please check out our resource page to read the full details and eligibility requirements in the contest rules.

 

Live Blogging: Give2Asia Conference Call on Philippines Disaster Relief and Recovery

Invitation: Disaster in the Philippines- Conference Call on Relief and Recovery Efforts 10/19/09

Give2Asia is hosting a teleconference to brief donors, advisors and friends about relief and recovery needs and effective philanthropic strategies in response to the disaster in the Philippines on Monday, October 19, 2009 at 8:30 am PST/11:30 am EST.  The call will be moderated by Mr. Joe Lumarda, Trustee of Give2Asia and SVP, Capital Group Companies.

Based in Manila, Dr. Steven Rood, Philippines Country Representative at The Asia Foundation, is monitoring first hand the destruction caused by Typhoon Ketsana, and the heavy rains brought by Typhoon Parma.  He will describe the destruction, immediate responses, on-going needs and what it will take to rebuild the lives of those affected by the disaster.

Ms.Gillian Yeoh, Program Officer at Give2Asia will reflect on lessons learned from past disasters in Asia. She will also share how our partners on-the-ground are responding to the relief and recovery work.

Call details:

US callers: 1-800-920-7487 International callers: 1-404-920-1710Participant code 16764888#RSVPs to kuyenco@give2asia.org are encouraged but not required.  For friends unable to join the call, information on how to access a free recording will be available on Wednesday, on our website at www.give2asia.org.  Please feel free to pass this along to interested colleagues.

Download INVITATION - Philippines Conf Call 101909

Photo courtesy of IRRI images

Asian Philanthropy News Digest (10/09/09)

Blue Book for Philanthropy in China.  China CSR has an article about the Blue Book For Philanthropy that was recently released.  The Blue Book contains listings of all major charity events and regulations in China from 1981 to 2008. Several highlights: (1) Chinese organizations have received CNY107 billion in 2008; (2) Government is still the driving force for non-government donations; (3) donations are shifting from in-kind and in-cash to service-related donations; and (4) China needs to create more legislation in order to develop the philanthropic sector.  By the end of 2008, 414,000 registered social entities and NGOs in China existed.  Of these, 1,597 were public and non-public collecting foundations.

Promoting Diaspora Giving Worldwide.  My friend, Dale Asis is the new Executive Director of Global Coalition for Humanitarian Efforts- Philippines.  The Coalition includes 48 individual donors and organizations that give to the Philippines.  Dale just started a blog called Global Grassroots Giving and will be "writing about 99 personal stories of the growing philanthropy of diaspora donors in the US and around the world to their homeland countries and how they are making a difference."  He will include the success stories, the ones that went awry and those that give in their new adopted country and in their native homeland.

Narayana N.R. Murthy named to Ford Foundation board.  I am not sure how I missed this big news in May.  Narayana N.R. Murthy, Chairman of the board and chief mentor of Infosys Technologies Limited joined the board of the Ford Foundation.  Ford Foundation trustees are elected by the full board and serve six-year terms.  Trustees set policies relating to grant making, geographic focus, spending, investment, management, governance and professional standards, and they oversee internal and independent audits.  Ford Foundation has distributed more than $15.6 billion worldwide and in fiscal year 2008, assets valued at $11 billion.  Each year, some 40,000 proposals are received and 2,000 grants are made.

Photo courtesy of chrisjfry.

Supporting Disaster Relief Efforts in Asia: All Types of Donors Wanted

- by Dien S Yuen

Southeast Asia has been hit horribly by a series of tragic events.  It is too difficult to convey in words the lives that were lost and the damage done to homes and businesses.  The Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Western Sumatra... these were already countries with high rates of poverty.

As I look at these pictures, I can't help but feel overwhelmed for the victims.  But since I work at Give2Asia and we are fielding emails and calls from donors wanting to help - there is no time to feel sad.  There are many, many generous donors - individuals, corporations, families, friends - that want to help.  Like all disasters, we encourage donors to think about immediate relief and also long term recovery.

There are many groups like the Red Cross that can provide immediate aid such as clean water and food. As the media attention dies down in the next several weeks though, survivors will also need help to rebuild their homes and businesses.  There are some donors that give because their heart aches as they see the destruction and want to take action right away.  By making a gift instantly, they feel as if they alleviated some suffering of an unknown friend.  While the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia may be far away, pain and suffering are universal emotions we all connect with.

There are also some donors that want to be more strategic and wait until the immediate relief is stabilized so they can see what else is needed.  In-between stages of support - assistance to get life back to normal, clearing of roads, cleaning of homes are required along with finding food, shelter and clean water.  Long term recovery also includes helping survivors rebuild their lives and their livelihood.  This may include micro-loans to business owners so they can purchase supplies again.  There is the psycho-social therapy needs for children, seniors and others traumatized by the disaster.

Food Insecurity in Asia

cross posted on Give2Asia Forum

Through 2007 and 2008, as the financial crisis was unfolding in the U.S., a food crisis was raging through most of the developing world - especially in Asia.  Rapid increases and decreases in food prices across the developing world exacerbates the plight of communities that are already suffering from poverty and hunger.  Hunger persists in Asia - even in China, India and Vietnam - countries that have already been experiencing unprecedented rapid economic growth over the past decade.

As part of our philanthropic education initiative, Give2Asia presented a private gathering that brought together leaders from the Filipino community along with advisors from the local areas to discuss these issues.  Dr. Bruce Tolentino, Director of Economic Reform and Development of The Asia Foundation, shared his perception of the food price crisis and how donors could help.   The topic, "Food Insecurity in Asia" was hosted by Mr. Robbie Fabian, Resource Development Consultant and Mr. Joe Lumarda, Trustee of Give2Asia and SVP of Capital Group Companies.  Held in the boardroom of the California Community Foundation (CCF), Ms. Carol Bradford, VP of External and Donor Relations of CCF opened the event with a brief introduction of the Foundation's work.

What caused the recent volatility in food prices in Asia?

Dr. Tolentino pointed out that in the mid-2008, the prices of basic foods reached their highest levels for 30 years.  Asian rice yields have been continuously growing and there have been no shortfalls in rice production or physical shortage of rice on the world market.   Declining world rice stocks were not the trigger for the price bubble.  Dr. Tolentino then pointed out several factors behind the volatile food prices:

Database of Diaspora Philanthropy for Asia

- by Dien S Yuen

Asian Philanthropy Forum started after a successful APPC conference in Hanoi in May 2008. In my first post, Continuing the conversation: APPC & beyond, I spoke about the need to take on Giving 2.0, that is, of using technology to transform philanthropy in our communities in Asia:

The circulation of ideas, knowledge and stories among donors and grantees must be increased, harnessed and shared with others. This virtuous circle of ideas, impact, lessons, and perspectives is how our community learns from itself and strengthens itself – ultimately empowering itself to influence the world, as we want it to be.

I was pleased then to see the announcement from APPC that it has made four grants to support various organizations in Bangladesh, Pakistan, China and the Philippines. The four projects include different ways of organizing and collecting information to capture giving from the diaspora.  In addition to using this information for research purposes, I hope the "databases" will eventually lead to more transparency and accountability in the sector.  From a donor-advisor perspective though, I hope the databases are available and disseminated in such a way that it is easily accessible and utilized by donors and advisors to donors.  Perhaps, this is the beginning of a diaspora database version of Guidestar for each country?

Community foundations in Asia

Community foundations are well known in the U.S. for raising charitable funds from the community and distributing the money back to the area’s non-profit organizations. In the U.S., we have approximately 780 community foundations. Globally, there are 1,441 community foundations in 51 countries.  In Asia, community foundations exist in India, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and the Philippines.

Community foundations exist in various forms but they are basically a charitable entity used to encourage philanthropy and build communities of giving and sharing.  The first community foundation was formed in the U.S. and since then the concept has been exported around the world.  In 2006, The Global Fund for Community Foundations was formed.  It is a joint initiative of the World Bank, Ford Foundation and Mott Foundation as a mechanism to broad the development of community foundations.  The Fund is a project of WINGS and it is hosted by the European Foundation Centre in Brussels.  Since their launch, the Fund has made grants amounting to almost US $1.5 million to 83 organizations in 33 countries.

Apl Foundation Launches in U.S.

Apl de Ap of the band Black Eyed Peas, launched the Apl Foundation several weeks ago in Los Angeles during a benefit concert.  The red carpet  event focused on bringing awareness to issues in the Philippines and the celebration of his 34th birthday. 

Suzanne Toro, of the Apl Foundation writes on Give2Asia Forum:

Allan Pineda, also known as Apl de Ap of the Black Eyed Peas, journeyed from the Philippines to the United States to fulfill a dream for his family and for his future. He has always held a deep desire to give back to children that have similar stories like his from his homeland and throughout Asia. His vision is simply stated through the actions of giving and reminding oneself and the world that there is no separation between race, class or gender. Ultimately, Allan reminds others that all children deserve a home, food, education and healthcare. With this sentiment that Allan wears as a badge of conviction, he is committed to giving back to his homeland through his Apl Foundation Fund administered by Give2Asia.

With the fund being in its first year of creation and fully accepting the Apl Foundation will grow and morph into the financial means needed to support his homeland, Apl has decided on the mission and focus of the foundation for remainder of 2008 and 2009.