Born in Hong Kong, Jackie Chan is a famous international action movie star. His kung fu leaps and humor in martial arts films have earned him huge successes in Hollywood and an enormous fortune, making him a successful actor with millions of fans worldwide.
However, while trying new genres of film, such as fantasy, drama and romance, Chan has been spending more and more time on his charity work. He spends almost all his spare time working for children, the elderly and those in need.
For many years, Chan has been actively participating in all kinds of charitable works and contributed money and effort. He regards charity as an important part of his life. “Even when I am sleeping, I think how I can help other people,” Chan said. “Every human being has to learn how to do charity.”
In 1988, Chan established the Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation, which provides scholarships and help for Hong Kong’s young people. Before long, the foundation expanded its activities to support disaster relief, medical care and art performance.
Chan founded the Dragon’s Heart Foundation in 2004 with the purpose of fulfilling the desperate needs of children and the elderly in remote areas of China. This foundation has built over 20 schools, provided books, fees and uniforms for students and raised millions of dollars to give poor children educational opportunities. In 2011, Chan created a European branch for the foundation and spread its charitable work.
Having pledged to give away all of his cash to charity when he dies, Chan said, “One day I hope we won’t have any poor people in China.”
Chan is always the one who stands out and offers help after disasters strike.
For example, in the first eight months in 2010, Chan provided $36 million for people across the globe. He donated $800,000 to help Haiti earthquake victims and $5.2 million to support the Singapore Thong Chai Medical Institution. Besides, he raised $29 million for drought relief in China and brought supplies to earthquake victims of Qinghai, China.
Currently, Chan serves as UNICEF and UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador.
Chan believes that China, with 400 billionaires and the world’s largest economy after America, can do more. Living in poverty when he was a child, Chan deeply understands the significance of giving away. He insists that the wealthy have an obligation to help out the poor who have no way of helping themselves.
“I think in the future there will be more charity in China,” Chan said. “Charity in China brings harmony and love.”
Chan has been awarded Silver Bauhinia Star in recognition of his significant contribution to the charitable work in Hong Kong. Also, he has been recognized as one of the 10 most charitable celebrities by Forbes Magazine in 2006.
Chan revealed that he will donate all of his fortune to charity and that his only son, Jaycee Chan, will receive nothing.
“People’s support has got my father where he is today,” Jaycee Chan said. “It’s reasonable to give back by doing charity work.”
– Liying Qian
Sources: Jackie Chan, Look to the Stars
Photo: Giphy.com
Jackie Chan: From Super Star to Philanthropist
Born in Hong Kong, Jackie Chan is a famous international action movie star. His kung fu leaps and humor in martial arts films have earned him huge successes in Hollywood and an enormous fortune, making him a successful actor with millions of fans worldwide.
However, while trying new genres of film, such as fantasy, drama and romance, Chan has been spending more and more time on his charity work. He spends almost all his spare time working for children, the elderly and those in need.
For many years, Chan has been actively participating in all kinds of charitable works and contributed money and effort. He regards charity as an important part of his life. “Even when I am sleeping, I think how I can help other people,” Chan said. “Every human being has to learn how to do charity.”
In 1988, Chan established the Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation, which provides scholarships and help for Hong Kong’s young people. Before long, the foundation expanded its activities to support disaster relief, medical care and art performance.
Chan founded the Dragon’s Heart Foundation in 2004 with the purpose of fulfilling the desperate needs of children and the elderly in remote areas of China. This foundation has built over 20 schools, provided books, fees and uniforms for students and raised millions of dollars to give poor children educational opportunities. In 2011, Chan created a European branch for the foundation and spread its charitable work.
Having pledged to give away all of his cash to charity when he dies, Chan said, “One day I hope we won’t have any poor people in China.”
Chan is always the one who stands out and offers help after disasters strike.
For example, in the first eight months in 2010, Chan provided $36 million for people across the globe. He donated $800,000 to help Haiti earthquake victims and $5.2 million to support the Singapore Thong Chai Medical Institution. Besides, he raised $29 million for drought relief in China and brought supplies to earthquake victims of Qinghai, China.
Currently, Chan serves as UNICEF and UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador.
Chan believes that China, with 400 billionaires and the world’s largest economy after America, can do more. Living in poverty when he was a child, Chan deeply understands the significance of giving away. He insists that the wealthy have an obligation to help out the poor who have no way of helping themselves.
“I think in the future there will be more charity in China,” Chan said. “Charity in China brings harmony and love.”
Chan has been awarded Silver Bauhinia Star in recognition of his significant contribution to the charitable work in Hong Kong. Also, he has been recognized as one of the 10 most charitable celebrities by Forbes Magazine in 2006.
Chan revealed that he will donate all of his fortune to charity and that his only son, Jaycee Chan, will receive nothing.
“People’s support has got my father where he is today,” Jaycee Chan said. “It’s reasonable to give back by doing charity work.”
– Liying Qian
Sources: Jackie Chan, Look to the Stars
Photo: Giphy.com
Haifaa al-Mansour: First Female Saudi Director
Haifaa al-Mansour has a lot of which to be proud. Not only is she the first female Saudi director, she is also the first person to shoot a film entirely in Saudi Arabia. The film, called “Wadjda,” was also submitted for the Academy Award for best foreign language film, the first time Saudi Arabia has entered the category.
Al-Mansour was born in Saudi Arabia in 1974. Although there are no movie theaters in Saudi Arabia, her father fostered her interest in movies by keeping a collection at home. She went to film school abroad which is where she made her first shorts and later her documentary “Women without Shadows,” chronicling the lives of hidden women in the Gulf. “Wadjda,” her latest film, focuses on a young girl who wants to buy a bike so she can race with a boy in her neighborhood. Girls are not generally allowed to ride bikes in Saudi Arabia, so she tries to save her money to buy the bike herself by entering a Qur’an recital competition.
Filming a movie in Saudi Arabia is no easy task, and is even more difficult if you are a woman. The film actually took nearly five years to make due to issues with procuring funding and getting permission from the government to film on location. Al-Mansour was insistent on filming in Saudi Arabia to preserve the authenticity of the story. Once funding and the permission to film were secured, more roadblocks followed. For example, since women are not allowed to travel outside unattended, she worked from inside a car with a walkie-talkie, driving from location to location. Al-Mansour referred to this particular problem as “tough but rewarding.”
The movie also focuses on what Saudi society expects of girls and interpersonal relationships between friends and family. Al-Mansour said of the main character, “I think she’s a kid and she’s just discovering the society around her. She’s discovering what she can do and what she cannot do. And I think she wants to race a boy, she wants to—you know how kids are, competitive — she wants to win. She wants to assert herself and be heard. But she’s not trying to be aggressive as much as assertive. She’s trying to find herself, to enjoy life, and for me that was a very important theme in the film.”
– Colleen Eckvahl
Sources: NPR, New York Times
WHO Reports Spike in Cancer Cases
The World Health Organization (WHO,) guardian of international health statistics, released new numbers last week indicating a major upturn in the number of cancer cases worldwide.
In 2012, 14.1 million people received cancer diagnoses in 184 countries across the globe, a nearly 10 percent increase from 2008. Unfortunately, this rise translates across the board to mortality rates as well, which saw a similar 9.3 percent increase over the same period.
Lung cancer, breast cancer and colorectal cancer round out the three most common forms of the disease, comprising 13 percent, 11.9 percent and 9.7 percent, respectively, of the aggregate number of diagnoses.
Breast cancer has seen the most rapid acceleration of any other manifestation of cancer and continues to be the leading cause of cancer deaths among women. In 2012, over 6.3 million women were living with cancer diagnoses from the previous five years alone. Incidence increased 20 percent from the beginning to the end of that five-year period (2008-2012); 1.7 million women received initial diagnoses in 2012.
Unfortunately, the mortality rate for this common cancer has not slowed down, increasing by 14 percent in the study period.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) forecasts the upward trend of aggregate cancer incidence will likely continue through and beyond the year 2025. By that time, over 19.3 million new cancer cases will lob on to the current cancer burden each year.
The increase is not inherently problematic for global health: these statistics reflect an aging global population and the planet’s sustained population growth. As more adults celebrate birthdays in their 70’s and 80’s, it follows that more are alive to receive diagnoses of cancer, a disease largely believed to arise from the effects of aging on the error-prone process of cellular reproduction.
Similarly, advances in technology have increased the accuracy and applicability of diagnostic techniques. Early detection of cancer raises incidence rates but ultimately benefits cancer patients by improving outcomes.
Unfortunately, inequalities in global death distribution fall unfavorably on developed nations. The WHO estimates over 55 percent of all cancers and nearly 65 percent of all cancer deaths in 2012 occurred in lesser-developed regions of the world. The IARC expects that this trend will continue (and likely deteriorate) as 2025 approaches.
Dr. David Foreman, Head of the IARC Section of Cancer Information, urges the global community to “develop effective and affordable approaches to the early detection, diagnosis, and treatment” of cancers in the developing world. Funds allocated toward research and development in these areas will likely generate significant returns on investment; each year, cancer-related deaths and disability cost the global economy $1 trillion in economic losses.
If properly managed, the recent rise in cancer cases will inspire focused improvements in cancer control strategies that will bridge the gap between morbidity and mortality, improve outcomes for the developed world and turn the trend on its head.
– Casey Ernstes
Sources: The American Cancer Society, Voice of America, International Agency for Research on Cancer
Photo: News at Jama
Who Are the Bottom Billion?
One billion of the poorest people on the planet embody an enormous obstacle for nations today. Countries suffering from extreme poverty, overlooked and undervalued, are examined thoroughly in Paul Collier’s book, The Bottom Billion. As a professor of economics at Oxford University, Mr. Collier is well versed in the financial implications of poverty on the world as whole. Everyone who has read a history book or seen the television show Game of Thrones knows that when societies lack a leader and structured laws, chaos ensues as the fight for ultimate power begins. This situation is mirrored in the corruption consuming countries all over the world, and they are highlighted in Collier’s book.
According to Paul Collier, the 8 industrialized nations, known as the G8, will have to make a priority out of developing laws to help these ‘bottom billion’ populations. This group consists of the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Japan, Canada, France, and Russia. Protecting endangered states against corruption, greed, power struggles, trade resources, and more will have to become a main focus for stabilized nations in order to help eradicate global poverty.
Claiming that there are four traps countries fall into that lead to a spot in the ‘bottom billion,’ Collier lists the culprits as natural resources, corrupt neighboring nations, negative governing, and violent conflicts. No country has the ability to generate more natural resources than it already has, so creating laws that govern trade policies is one of the only ways to help states in that situation.
One suggestion offered by the author to reverse the destitute situations of poor countries is military interference. He claims that foreign financial aid is not enough to help on its own. Military force and strict legislation on corrupt leaders and factions are required to pull countries out of expensive civil wars and violent day to day lives.
Main goals of the book include debunking popular myths about global poverty and explaining why the U.S. and other stable countries need to make aggressive changes to prevent unstable nations from ‘backsliding’, or getting deeper into a state of distress than they presently are. China and other societies are doing so well on reducing global poverty that more aid is offered because they seem like a more appealing investment that is likely to succeed. Less stable countries do not look like a good fit for aid and are shortchanged by potential donors.
Simultaneously educational and inspiring, Paul Collier’s book was first published in 2007. Collier has spoken at local and national forums about the importance of forming a solution to these ‘bottom billion’ people that is as complex as the problem. Spreading awareness and correcting misconceptions the general public may have about poverty is the first step in attempting to fix it. Outlining how these countries become part of the ‘bottom’ in the first place helps clarify the intricate situation that has been created and how the way to save these people must be equally intricate. The Bottom Billion can be purchased from Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, or wherever books are sold.
– Kaitlin Sutherby
Sources: TED, Amazon, The Guardian, Oxford University Press, AusAID
Photo: Bahai Forums
The Case Against Gift Aid
Initiated less than forty years ago, the UK Gift Aid incentive aggrandizes donations received through select charities by providing tax deductions to the donor.
By means of Gift Aid, charities are able to reclaim the basic tax rate (20%) of the donation at no cost to the donor. For example, if an individual donates £10 using Gift Aid, the charity itself receives £12.50. With non-monetary contributions, the original tax is added back in to the overall value of the item. Thus, if a table valued at £100 is supplied, the charity is able to retain the item at £125.
However, before one is eligible to provide a Gift Aid donation, a form documenting basic personal information such as name, home address and information about the designated charity is required. Furthermore, this form is rather versatile in that it can be applied to future donations as well. On the surface, Gift Aid appears ingenious and innovative, and in many ways, it is. Yet, like many other programs wrought by good intentions, this incentive should be wary of also being susceptible to corruption.
For one, Gift Aid is plagued by complexity and ambiguity in its guidelines and operations.
Revenue and Customs declare that the donated items are in fact the possessions of the donor and the charity in question acts as a mere representative. Therefore, it is the donor — not the organization — who has the authority to not only give all or a portion of the sale’s proceeds but also to retain all or a portion of the profits. Meaning, an individual may decide to utilize Gift Aid out of greed and a personal, profit agenda rather than benevolence and an honest desire to give back to others.
The mandatory Gift Aid forms are composed in such a manner that donors are not held accountable for whether proceeds are bequeathed to the charity or not. Thus, an individual could legally sell his or her belongings using the Gift Aid incentive and keep all of the proceeds — leaving the charity, which handles the actual selling of the item, bereft of any profit.
According to the Institute of Fundraising, “the goods are the property of the owner until they are sold, and after they are sold, [the owner] has the right to keep some or all of the proceeds.” Although individuals who are initially willing to sell their personal belongings under Gift Aid may not initially expect to monetarily gain from the transaction. Because this gaping loophole still exists, the incentive may be vulnerable, or opens an opportunity with the advantage, to misuse.
– Phoebe Pradhan
Sources: HM Revenue and Customs, The Guardian
Photo: Vintage 3D
Palmetto Medical Initiative to Build Hospitals
Palmetto Medical Initiative (PMI) — a global health nonprofit — announced its $1.5 million Revolutionizing Global Health campaign, which aims to build five medical centers in East Africa and Central America by 2015. $1.2 million has already been pledged from lead donors Darla Moore, Seacoast Church and others. The group of donors are counting on individuals and corporations to raise the remainder before Dec. 31, 2013.
Founded in 2009 by Dr. Ed O’Bryan, a physician at MUSC, and Matt Alexander, an entrepreneur and nonprofit executive, PMI was created as a permanent health care solution for impoverished regions. In 2011, PMI opened its first hospital in Masindi, Uganda. Within 13 months of opening, the hospital achieved self-sustainability and has served more than 50,000 patients. The typical doctor visit costs patients $2, making it possible for more than 98% of all patients to cover the entire cost of their care.
“I invite our community to join me and support PMI’s campaign,” said Darla Moore, financier, philanthropist and one of the lead contributors to the current campaign. “On a mission trip with PMI in 2009, I saw firsthand the desperate health care needs of so many people. PMI has proven its ability to provide the same quality health care we value in the U.S.”
The regions selected by PMI for the Revolutionizing Global Health campaign lack basic quality health care and, all in all, are some of the poorest corners of the world. These areas have exceptionally high mortality rates, widespread disease and low life expectancy rates. With the contribution of generous donors, the campaign will be up and running for the new year, and represent a prominent step forward for the growth of global health.
– Sonia Aviv
Sources: Post and Courier, Moultrie News, ABC News
Photo: Giphy.com
Aid Uses: Well-being or Market Growth?
It is an important question that continues to factor in how each relief agency uses its funding: whether aid should be used mainly to stimulate economic growth or to provide for the basic needs of struggling and vulnerable people.
The history of international aid seems to have been forged by colonizers like Germany, France and Britain providing support to foster economic development in the colonies.
This system has survived to this day, but is it the right system? In other words, does it provide the most good to the most people? If aid helps build economies, in many senses it goes from the top down, as money is distributed from the private sector to employees. However, much can happen to the money as it trickles down.
It would seem that the best thing would be to cut out the middleman and give the money directly to the institutions that know the impoverished intimately and have the ability to provide for the needs of the people. Following the Haitian earthquake in 2010, only 10% of the $6 billion in aid was given to the Haitian government.
National and local institutions are essential in providing basic amenities to the poor, such as healthcare and clean water.
Instead, funding is being channeled into dead investments, such as job training for jobs without living wages. Relief agencies need to partner with local institutions with the goal of eventually handing off the responsibility of distributing the funds if they hope to make a lasting and beneficial change in the lives of the poor.
The food, medicine and supplies that are given to the world’s poor from NGOs only do so much, whereas creating sustainable healthcare and clean water establishments have much greater potential for curbing poverty. It is a reflection of the proverbial phrase ‘Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.’
However, there is much to be said for stimulating local businesses. The success of the Marshall Plan should offer us an example of what can happen when aid is invested into market growth the right way. The Marshall Plan provided loans for local businesses, which were paid back to the governments, who in turn used it to strengthen commercial infrastructure. Furthermore, ensuring local businesses could succeed was a prerequisite in qualifying for the plan. With this strategy the Marshall Plan helped rebuild the economies of Western Europe.
Although the problems faced by the world’s poor stay the same- lack of food, housing, healthcare, clean water, etc.- the potential resources that can help are different. This is why results-based programs are so important. Given proper information, relief agencies are better able to fulfill the needs of the poor. The best solutions seem to happen when donors partner with national and local institutions to attack the underlying barriers that exist in moving out of poverty.
– Jordan Schunk
Sources: Australian Broadcasting Company, Businessweek, Foreign Affairs
Photo: Giphy.com
11 Essential Steps for Raising Poverty Awareness
1. Stop Fantasizing
Determined to start the greatest advocacy movement in your city? That’s great! But make sure your plans aren’t entirely in your head. Make sure to get them down on paper and keep a realistic idea of an outcome.
2. Start committing
Remember, fundraisers don’t run themselves. They require a good deal of time and energy to carry out. If you don’t think you can do it on your own, get others involved.
3. Start talking
Be active. Talk to members of the community. People only give to causes they know about. Inform the local media of your plans.
4. Visualize the process, not the outcome
Fundraisers take a lot of planning and it’s easy to become overwhelmed. Take it step by step. As you get closer to the end, let the overall goal give you the motivation to push through.
5. Avoid the slip-up effect
Everyone makes mistakes or slip ups. When something doesn’t go as planned, don’t give up. Take a break, reevaluate the situation and return to it when you’re ready.
6. Avoid procrastination
Be proactive. Don’t quit before you even begin. Make sure to set self-deadlines to avoid becoming tired and overwhelmed.
7. Shift your focus when needed
If the big picture causes feelings of dread and panic, calm down. Focus on the small steps and take it one task at a time. If you are trying to raise funds, shift the focus from the amount of money needed from donors. Instead, highlight the items and services that will be provided through donations.
8. Be yourself
Don’t become so wrapped up in your cause that you forget yourself and run on auto-pilot, constantly spitting out facts and numbers. Let others see your passion.
9. Keep the end goal in mind
You plan to raise $3,000 for an orphan in South America, but you’re becoming stressed on the minor points, like reserving a booth, finding tablecloths, baking cupcakes, etc. Take a breath and remember your reason for all the madness – to make a little girl happy.
10. Know when to stop
Have a solid plan to get people involved, but it falls short once you’re in public? Know when to take a break. Return to the drawing board. Trying to persuade a certain individual to give, but they have an argument for every fact? Take some time and come back later to discuss your cause from another viewpoint.
11. Have contingency plans
It is important to know the different possible outcomes of your fundraiser/awareness campaign. You could raise way more than you ever hoped to or you can raise $10. Be prepared. Have backup plans set in place and remember to practice responses for a variety of situations to avoid surprises.
– Jasmine D. Smith
Sources: Psy Blog, Poverty Living
Hidden Cost of Energy: Fuel Subsidies
Nobody wants to pay more for gas.
Fossil fuels account for the vast majority of energy production, and, as non-renewable resources, the price has steadily increased for energy as supply dwindles and demand has surged. Throughout most of the world, especially the richest nations, the true cost of energy is not seen due to a wide array of fuel subsidies and energy “support.”
There is not much agreement on what exactly constitutes a fuel subsidy but, all seem to agree that a lot of money is being spent on supporting various energy industries by artificially reducing the direct cost of production and consumption. So, while many tactics are employed in reducing energy costs, very few countries accurately report what they spend. Further, assessing the fiscal damage to the environment as well as the lack of funds generated by not imposing taxes (such as those on carbon emissions) become even trickier to estimate.
The International Monetary Fund estimates global fuel subsidies at 1.9 trillion USD, or 8 percent of all governments’ revenue. These estimates are extremely conservative, though, considering the dollar amount they use for the social cost of carbon, $25 per ton, is less than a third of what the UK and independent analysts have found. Also, the estimate does not include the vast majority of energy producer subsidies, only looking at consumer subsidies for oil and coal.
The impact of fuel subsidies is far-ranging. Pre-tax subsidies, or those that are direct cost reductions from the government to consumers, come at a global cost of 480 billion USD according to IMF’s report on 2011’s data. These are funds that are being deprived from social programs for urgencies such as roads, water distribution and poverty alleviation.
Subsidies are often unequally distributed. In developing countries, the IMF found the top fifth of societies in household income reap six times the subsidies of anyone else. The cost of these subsidies is offset by increased prices of other goods and services –resulting in a 6 percent decrease in income for every $0.25 cost decrease per liter.
Artificially increasing demand and consumption for fossil fuels reduces investment and growth in alternative fuel sources as much as the growth of many other markets — especially, exports.
Though developing countries appear to receive the most negative impact, developed nations such as the US and Russia spend the most through post-tax subsidies. Estimates on US subsidies range from $10 billion to $52 billion and do not include any of the associated health or environmental costs.
So, what can be done?
Various countries have successfully phased out tax reduction programs in the coal industry such as Poland, Germany and most developed nations do not offer pre-tax subsidies. Unfortunately, little progress has been made on oil subsidies, which account for over 2/3 of the total. Developed countries will have to continue to lead the charge in reforming these harmful economic policies. Transparency to the accurate amounts of what is actually being spent and to whom the money is going to may very well be the first step toward achieving more effective means of viable economic stability and sustainable progress in the use of depleting resources.
– Tyson Watkins
Sources: IMF, IEA, Oil Change International, Grist, BBC News, Climate Progress
Photo: Giphy.com
Recompense for the Mau Mau Rebellion in Kenya
An estimated 5,000 Kenyans will receive $4,000 in remunerations from the British government as victims of the Mau Mau Rebellion in the 1950s.
Around 90,000 Kenyans were detained and tortured during British colonial occupation. Only the living survivors of the Mau Mau rebellion are eligible for receiving the financial apology.
In addition to the British recompense, the U.K. will also construct a memorial honoring the victims in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi.
Up until 2003, Mau Mau veterans were not allowed to address grievances regarding the atrocities they underwent during the rebellion. The Kenyan Human Rights Commission organized the Mau Mau Veterans Association, which fought to gain recognition of the atrocities.
Hiring the UK-based firm, Leigh Day, five individuals of the Veterans Association won a case against the British government and settled with $21 million.
The British government initially claimed that the Veterans Association’s claims were not eligible since the aforementioned atrocities were dealt during colonial times.
Other claims will not be so successful due to legal costs and not enough insurmountable evidence — many colonial files and records were destroyed during the ending period of the British Empire.
Kenya was partitioned by European powers along with the rest of East Africa during the 1885 Berlin Conference. The British entered Kenya in the early 1900s. Without political clout and claims to their own land, a guerilla group called the Mau Mau led an uprising.
Between 1952-1960, a State of Emergency was proclaimed by the British colonists due to an increase in the attack on their people and “property.” Soon the wider Kenyan population became embroiled in the conflict and was sent to detention camps wherein general torture — the castration of two men and sexual assault against women — ensued.
An op-ed criticizes the British government for not doing more to address grievances of the Mau Mau veterans. The postcolonial administration saw the entrance of colonists’ children in high governmental positions—often well-educated in comparison to many Kenyans living in poverty. The author posits that the British government should provide scholarships and higher education opportunities to Mau Mau veteran families.
Whether the British government has or has not done enough to recognize its past atrocities, it is nevertheless a step in acknowledging that the human dignity of many individuals were wrongfully disregarded during Kenya’s colonial history.
– Miles Abadilla
Sources: BBC, Daily Mail, The Economist, The International
Photo: Giphy.com