Asian Philanthropy Forum

Thinking about an internship at a non-profit?

Charles Ostertag started as an intern at Give2Asia and then went on to become even more.  He left for law school last month and it is only now that I am beginning to acknowledge his absence.  For those wondering if he or she should apply for an internship at a non-profit, I highly suggest that they read Charles' farewell post.  Here is an excerpt; for the full post, please visit Give2Asia Forum:

During my undergraduate studies a few years ago at UC Berkeley, I distinctly recall a fellow student explaining to me she wanted to use her degree to work in the nonprofit field. Nonprofit? Nonprofit. How will she pay her rent and bills? I remember thinking to myself as I gave an enthusiastic, unknowing nod in response. Originally coming to Give2Asia in September 2008 as a part-time programs intern, I am taking my leave as an in-house, full-time philanthropic initiatives consultant to begin law school this fall. As my transformation in title suggests, Give2Asia over the past eleven months has solidified for me into a place (and an experience) of exceptional entrepreneurship and opportunity interlaced with diversity, friendship, fun and profound personal growth.

Philanthropy in China, part 2

Cross-posted on Tactical Philanthropy by Dien S. Yuen. Part 1 can be found here.

Philanthropy during the Sichuan (Wenchuan) Earthquake

Even before the Sichuan Earthquake, charitable giving was becoming a trend in China. Social needs, shifts in government policies and the existence of new private wealth contributed to the growing trend. During disasters, the outpouring of assistance from individuals and corporations were beginning to increase and the number of donors making large donations was rising. Newspapers report that more than 11 billion yuan (US$1.3 billion) was collected for philanthropic purposes during the Yangtze River’s catastrophic flood in 1998. In addition to domestic giving, Chinese donors were also interested in supporting disaster relief overseas. US$18.11 million was raised from individuals and corporations in China to support the Asian tsunami relief efforts.

In a report prepared by the China Charity & Donation Center for Give2Asia’s Beijing Philanthropy Forum, the amount of China’s charitable donations had sustained an annual growth rate above 65%. In 2007, the top 50 donations from individuals totaled RMB2.58 billion (US$377 million), representing 62% of total donations by individuals. Contributions that year supported education (37%); poverty alleviation (14%); disaster relief (12%); medical treatment and public health (9%); culture, sports and the arts (6%); and environmental protection, women and children (22%).

A brief look at British Asian philanthropy

- by Dien S Yuen

I was in London several weeks ago and had the opportunity to learn about British Asian philanthropy and the work of the Asian Foundation for Philanthropy.  

In the U.S., the term Asian American is often used to refer to those of Asian origin, including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indian, etc.  On the other hand, the British Asian refers to those of South Asian origin, particularly Indians, Pakistanis, and Bangladeshis.  The other groups are lumped into 'orientals' and in the ethnic section of UK's census forms, the Chinese are treated separately, i.e., not as "Asians."

There are approximately 2,331,423 British Asians, constituting about 4% of the population of the United Kingdom (UK) (Indians are 2.7%; Pakistanis 1.5%; Bangladeshi's 0.5% and other Asians (0.4%)).  British Asians make up 50.2% of the UK's non-European population, according to the 2001 UK Census.  The South Asian diaspora accounts for 10% of UK's economic output.   According to a 2002/2003 study, there are 71 Asian millionaires, with 47 of them under the age of 40.

In the past, I have blogged about the lack of information, resources, and studies about Asian American philanthropy.  It seems as if the same case also applies to the UK as well.  There are virtually no studies or research on Asian giving patterns in the UK.  If you know of any, please let me know.

The new face of corporate philanthropy in Asia

The global economic crisis is hitting U.S. nonprofit organizations hard.  In Asia, APPC recently published the article,Philanthropy in Challenging Times: The Financial Crisis and the Future of Corporate Philanthropy.  Below is an excerpt of the article from the 41st edition of APPC Post:

In Asia, the U.N. children's agency UNICEF warned that "tens of thousands of young children… could die as a result of the food and economic crisis." According to a report quoted in a Chinese website, mortality for children under the age of five, in East Asia and the Pacific, could "increase by up to 11 percent in countries severely affected by the crisis."

As of this writing, several multinational corporations based in Southeast Asia have already closed their operations. Even economic China is experiencing a slowdown. For organizations heavily reliant on corporate philanthropy, the closures, shutdowns, and mergers and acquisitions could mean not only budget cuts; it could also mean program closure altogether.

In a Joint Breakfast with the Coordinating Committee of the Worldwide Initiative for Grantmakers’ Support (WINGS) in late November, some APPC Board Members shared how non-profits in Asia are changing due to the crisis. In Singapore, the government has challenged the non-profit sector to raise the number of volunteers as it seeks alternative resources for programs. A rise in corporate volunteerism and knowledge transfer is also predicted in the Philippines and corporate giving efforts will focus more on enterprise and community development.

India is also gearing up for more employee engagement in community initiatives, with CAF India partnering with companies such as RBS, Barclays and Pepsi to launch “Give as You Earn” Program. This kind of involvement is a way to increase morale especially in this time of crisis.

Photo courtesy of stuck in customs

Seeing is believing: A look at a volunteer's experience in Myanmar, Part III

“In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.” – Desiderius Erasmus

This is the third and final installation in our story from the field. Some of the best and brightest students in Myanmar take a fieldtrip to a school for the blind. Their reflections on the experience reveal that perceptions can change based on personal interactions.

Field trips at our program always include reflection of some sort. For this trip, we had a discussion afterwards where students shared their impressions and experiences. All of the students agreed that it had been a positive experience. When I asked how their impressions changed over the course of the afternoon, one student admitted to initially feeling “scared by the kids’ eyes,” but by the end, he had forgotten that their eyes looked different from his own. Another student said, “At first I felt sad, but not anymore. I realized that they can cope and do things that I can’t do. They’re very intelligent.” Another added, “I feel we can learn a lot from the children. They know how to not give up.”

For most of my students, this was the first time they had interacted with blind people for any length of time. They came out of this experience with greater awareness of the challenges that blind people face on a daily basis in Myanmar, but also of how with the right support and environment they can overcome these challenges and develop unique abilities and skills. Perhaps, most importantly, my students discovered that the children they met are not defined by their blindness; it is, instead, just a part of who they are.

Seeing is Believing: A look at a volunteer's experience in Myanmar, Part II

This is part two in a three part story from the field. The author – a teacher in Yangon, Myanmar – describes a field trip his students take to a school for the blind, where the blind students teach their sighted counterparts a lesson.

Before our field trip, my students discussed what they knew about blindness and organized some games to play with the children. Most of my students had never worked with blind children before and did not know what to expect. Several expressed that they were nervous about the field trip and were afraid that the games they organized would not work because the kids were blind. In general, the students underestimated the capabilities of the kids they were about to work with.

When we arrived at the school we were greeted in an old auditorium by a group of about thirty kids ranging in age from about 8 to 14. To break the ice, my students each introduced themselves. To my students’ surprise, the children then sang several Christian songs in Burmese, harmoniously accompanied by an older student of the school playing the guitar. I overheard one of my students expressing surprise that the guitarist could play so well without seeing the strings. The sound of the children’s voices was radiant, and judging from the expression on my students’ faces, the power of the moment was not lost on anyone.

Seeing is believing: A look at a volunteer's experience in Myanmar, Part I

While I was visiting Myanmar a few weeks ago, I met a teacher working at a school in Yangon. He told me an inspiring story about his a service learning component to his school’s curriculum, and the profound interactions his students had during one field trip to a school for the blind. The story left a deep impression on me. Those of us who work full-time in philanthropy each have our own motivations for why we do what we do. Every once in a while, it’s nice to be reminded about how the work we do impacts the lives of individuals. (Names have been omitted to protect the author and organizations inside Myanmar.)

I started working in Yangon shortly before Cyclone Nargis devastated Myanmar’s southern coast in May 2008. I work for a small school in which all of the students are Myanmar citizens. My students have excelled in their high schools and are now trying to earn scholarships to study abroad. They intend to come back after studying abroad to participate in civil society and help develop their country. An important part of our academic program is experiential learning in the form of field trips, service learning, and internships. My job is to coordinate service learning and internships. For the academic year which just began my students will volunteer once a week at local organizations.

Diaspora fellowships for young Indian leaders

From the folks at Think Change India:

Indicorps eagerly announces over 30 competitive new projects for the August 2009 Indicorps Diaspora Fellowship.  Indicorps seeks a few dozen dedicated young Indian leaders who are willing to challenge themselves and “be the change.”  Tackle real issues in education, microfinance, social entrepreneurship, environmental conservation, public health, urban infrastructure, and much more.  Live simply and dig deep to learn about real India (and yourself); projects span from Kanpur to Pondicherry, Gujarat to Madhya Pradesh.

In the spirit of Obama’s campaign to create “Change you can believe in,” Indicorps is a real opportunity for CHANGE YOU MAKE HAPPEN.  The August 2009 Fellowship model will mobilize passionate, sincere fellows to become strong team players and leaders who will build sustainable new initiatives.

About Indicorps: Indicorps offers prestigious grassroots public service fellowship to implement sustainable development projects with community-based organizations across India.  As a total-immersion leadership program, Indicorps will encourage you to explore your role as a catalyst of change.  Fellowship projects promote both personal growth and collective action towards a secular India that is inclusive, peaceful, and participatory.  The program requires a minimum commitment of one year.

Applications are due 15 March 2009.

Photo courtesy of Marco DeLucci

Philanthropy in Sri Lanka

APPC (Asian Pacific Philanthropy Consortium), the only organization to promote and support philanthropy in the Asia Pacific, recently published the first study on individual giving in Sri Lanka.  The demand for information and resources on philanthropy in the Asia Pacific is growing.  Unfortunately, there are still very limited resources for those wanting to learn more about philanthropy in the various countries.  Some ancedotal stories and examples of individual philanthropists in the region exist but there are very few studies or research that capture the understanding and complexities of individual giving - especially in the smaller countries, such as Sri Lanka. 

Supported by The Asia Foundation, the study, the Measure of Giving in Asia Pacific: Sri Lanka, hopes that the knowledge generated by the study will "highlight more local resources and encourage non-profit institutions to consider individuals as potential givers and a more sustainable source of funding.  For government, gaining information about individual giving may encourage the development of a more enabling environment for philanthropy.  For philanthropists, it might help them benchmark their giving.  Finally, for organizations that wish to encourage more individual giving, it may provide the background for technical assistance to the philanthropic process."

500 + individuals were interviewed in urban and rural areas in December 2007.  Respondents were asked about their contributions, volunteerism, and/or donations in cash or in-kind, what kind of organizations they had supported, why they had supported such organizations, and how much they gave.  Below are some key findings:

*  99% of the respondents made cash donations, on average, about 3 to 4 times a month in the 12 months preceding the survey.  93% made goods donations about twice month in the year preceding the survey.  54% volunteered their time, once to twice monthly

Catchy ad for concert to support Bangladeshi group

Nonprofits are always inventing new ways to unite volunteers and their communities.  Galas, special events, receptions, dinners, gatherings - these all generally serve three purposes: (1) raise funds to support certain programs or projects; (2) cultivate new audiences and supporters; and (3) deepen the ties of their current volunteers and donors to the organization's purpose. 

There are many ways to measure the success of these events.  Many nonprofits start by asking for the goal and purpose of holding the event.  This then helps them justify the amount of hours and funds invested in these events.  In other words, (1) how many new people did you introduce to your organization; (2) how much did you raise now and/or believe you will in the future based on the feedback from the event, and (3) did you properly steward your present donor and volunteer base- that is, are they proud to be part of your organization.

Drishtipat, an all volunteer U.S. based nonprofit organization, is kicking off their 2008 annual fundraising campaign with a three-country concert tour featuring Arnob.  The funds raised will be used to support the organization's core programs, including investments in local social entrepreneurs who are finding innovative ways to tackle the issues of poverty and economic injustice in Bangladesh.