“In this season of giving, we are inspired by the millions of people across the globe who give what they can in meaningful and significant ways,” said Melinda Gates. “The Giving Pledge is rooted in this spirit and hopes to inspire people to tackle problems that are inherently difficult and diverse in an effort to address the pressing social issues they care about most.”
Started in 2010, The Giving Pledge asks the wealthiest people in the world to pledge most of their money to philanthropic and charitable organizations. Started by Bill and Melinda Gates, along with Warren Buffett, arguably the wealthiest people in the world, these billionaires are determined to make a difference. In order to be part of the Giving Pledge, people must fulfill two requirements. You must be worth at least one billion dollars, and you must be willing to give at least half of that one billion away to charity.
Fortunately, Gates and Buffet have definitely put their money where their mouth is. Bill and Melinda Gates have pledged well over the 50% requirement, pledging a whopping 95% of their wealth to charity. Warren Buffett has certainly reigned supreme, pledging 99% of his wealth to philanthropy and charitable organizations, stating that,“…incremental wealth, adding to the wealth they have now, has no real utility to them – but that wealth has incredible utility to other people. It can educate children, it can vaccinate children, it can do all kinds of things.”
This way of thinking is what the Gates and Buffet hope that most, if not all, wealthy citizens of the world believe. Fortunately, as of today, over 120 billionaires have agreed to take the pledge. The pledging billionaires are not only citizens of the United States of America, but also come from Australia, Germany, India, Malaysia, South Africa, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.
Many of these pledging billionaires give well over the 50% requirement and give to organizations such as, education, health, medical research, social services, and environmental issues. Bill Gates believes that change for the sick and weary can happen, and states that, “The Giving Pledge brings people together to exchange ideas about how to be as effective as possible and smarter in our giving.”
– Amy Robinson
Sources: Forbes, The Giving Pledge, CBS
Photo: CNN Money
Red Cross Animal Vaccination Campaign
This week, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) helped initiate a campaign to immunize livestock in Burkina Faso. The goal is to vaccinate 200,000 animals belonging to 30,000 people. Burkina Faso’s Ministry of Animal Resources and Fisheries is teaming up with the Burkinabé Red Cross Society to remove parasites and cut down on diseases. The campaign is focused in the northern province of Oudalan where an influx of refugees (and their animals) from Mali has bloated the livestock population.
Mali’s ongoing conflict between the military, the government, and the various rebel groups spilled beyond its borders. Over 200,000 Malians have sought refuge in neighboring countries, at least 50,000 of which have ended up in Burkina Faso. With the added weight of refugees comes the livelihoods they carry with them, and in many cases this has meant livestock. Burkina Faso is hardly unfamiliar with the needs of animals. About 57.7% of the country’s land is pastoral and there are over 45,000 poultry, pigs, sheep, goats and cattle owned by citizens. Problems arise, however, when the animals are in tightened quarters and thus more likely to spread and succumb to disease and parasites.
Luckily, the trio of organizations and agencies behind the campaign are addressing the influx in livestock and potential disease. Though it is too early to see what type of progress is made, the concept itself is essential. Ticks, worms and illnesses are particularly problematic in young animals, but have the ability to be devastating to older ones as well. The vast majority of Burkina Faso’s citizens reside in rural areas that rely heavily on agricultural or pastoral means of income. Without proper vaccinations, many people’s livelihoods could fall on hard times via a parasite transferred by passing goats. The trio backing the campaign aims to prevent further hardship on the refugees and citizens by maintaining the health of their livestock and incomes.
– Katey Baker-Smith
Sources: FAO, UNHCR, ICRC
The Giving Pledge
“In this season of giving, we are inspired by the millions of people across the globe who give what they can in meaningful and significant ways,” said Melinda Gates. “The Giving Pledge is rooted in this spirit and hopes to inspire people to tackle problems that are inherently difficult and diverse in an effort to address the pressing social issues they care about most.”
Started in 2010, The Giving Pledge asks the wealthiest people in the world to pledge most of their money to philanthropic and charitable organizations. Started by Bill and Melinda Gates, along with Warren Buffett, arguably the wealthiest people in the world, these billionaires are determined to make a difference. In order to be part of the Giving Pledge, people must fulfill two requirements. You must be worth at least one billion dollars, and you must be willing to give at least half of that one billion away to charity.
Fortunately, Gates and Buffet have definitely put their money where their mouth is. Bill and Melinda Gates have pledged well over the 50% requirement, pledging a whopping 95% of their wealth to charity. Warren Buffett has certainly reigned supreme, pledging 99% of his wealth to philanthropy and charitable organizations, stating that,“…incremental wealth, adding to the wealth they have now, has no real utility to them – but that wealth has incredible utility to other people. It can educate children, it can vaccinate children, it can do all kinds of things.”
This way of thinking is what the Gates and Buffet hope that most, if not all, wealthy citizens of the world believe. Fortunately, as of today, over 120 billionaires have agreed to take the pledge. The pledging billionaires are not only citizens of the United States of America, but also come from Australia, Germany, India, Malaysia, South Africa, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.
Many of these pledging billionaires give well over the 50% requirement and give to organizations such as, education, health, medical research, social services, and environmental issues. Bill Gates believes that change for the sick and weary can happen, and states that, “The Giving Pledge brings people together to exchange ideas about how to be as effective as possible and smarter in our giving.”
– Amy Robinson
Sources: Forbes, The Giving Pledge, CBS
Photo: CNN Money
Universal Access Project
The Universal Access Project’s mission is to achieve the fifth Millennium Development Goal to provide universal access to reproductive health care by 2015.
Today, roughly 222 million women lack the simple luxury in their lives of family planning services. To provide such services would not only help these women; it would improve overall global health, strengthen communities, decrease death rates of mothers and newborns and help alleviate global poverty.
The choice and the freedom to decide if and when to bear a child belong in the category of basic human rights. Providing easy access to contraceptives for women in third-world countries ensures that everyone may enjoy the same rights, and is predicted to reduce the amount of unwanted pregnancies worldwide from 7.5 million to 22 million.
The Universal Access Project is chiefly focused on informing and mobilizing U.S. policy makers to support international reproductive health as a major element of U.S. foreign development assistance.
Although often overlooked in the shadow of seemingly more important and immediate issues, universal access to reproductive health care deserves attention. Studies conducted in Zambia have shown that one dollar invested in family planning saves four dollars in other health related issues over time; it also reduces newborn deaths by 44%.
Annually, about 350,000 women die from pregnancy and childbirth complications, making it the leading cause of death for women in developing countries. By providing them with family planning options, this number may be reduced by one-third – over 100,000 deaths prevented each year.
A website has been created in affiliation with the Universal Access Project – WhyWeCare.org – which compiles essays by 15 prominent leaders from different fields across the globe who support the initiative. Their stories are personal, touching and motivational, giving readers an accurate and related sense of urgency in regards to this project.
Although 2015 is a little more than a year away, founders of the project and members of the UN Foundation remain confident in its future success. Since the initiative’s start in 2008, U.S. funding for family planning has witnessed a 30% increase.
In the words of CNN news network founder and philanthropist Ted Turner (who is also a contributor to WhyWeCare.org), “Complications from pregnancy are the leading cause of death of women in their reproductive years, killing an average of 1,000 women per day. That number is just plain unacceptable in this day and age.”
– Natalia Isaeva
Sources: UN Foundation, K4Health, WhyWeCare.org
Photo: The Trenches
Bubonic Plague Hits Madagascar
It is amazing that in the year 2013, the Bubonic Plague still exists on this planet. The disease that is known as the Black Death that caused at least 25 million deaths in the 14th century has this week been linked the death of at least 20 people in Madagascar, and may still infect more in the weeks to come.
This announcement is one of the worst outbreaks of the disease in years, and there is concern that it could spread to more towns and cities in the region. The Bubonic Plague is a disease that is transmitted through animals, usually through rats that hold infected flees which then infect humans, which has a high mortality rate if not immediately treated. This disease has mainly been eradicated from most areas of the world, but has been known to appear in developing nations such as Madagascar, where there are low hygiene levels, high levels of population and low resources to prevent the disease.
There was warning from the International Committee of the Red Cross in October that the nation of the East Coast of Mainland Africa was at high risk of an epidemic, but the warnings went mostly unheeded by the locals in the region. It is not that the locals were negligent in preventing the spread of this disease, but there are higher systemic problems that are harder to overcome for the locals.
Madagascar harbored this plague for many reasons. Locals in the region have low literacy rates, which makes it hard to share live saving information that prevents exposure to diseases. The country of Madagascar does not support a strong democratic government with a low corruption rate. When corruption is prevalent through all levels of government, funds that can be applied towards improving the nation often end up in the pockets of the few that are in power, adding to the national poverty.
The nation is one that is often prone to civil unrest, which many violent outbreaks has increase the use of military force on the people. The frequency of civil unrest has suppressed desire for foreign tourism which has decreased revenue for the national economy.
Madagascar is just an example of how poverty in a region can encourage the spread of life threatening diseases. Nations that have low standards of living, high levels of populations, weak central governments and low levels of hygiene are danger zones for disease. It is discouraging for a disease that has largely been eradicated from the face of the world to still exist in this poor region of the world.
– Travis Whinery
Sources: Time, Daily Mail, BBC, Reuters UK
Photo: Wikimedia
Dikembe Mutombo: Life After NBA
Dikembe Mutombo may be best remembered as one of the most prolific shot-blockers and defensive players in NBA history. With 3,289 blocks and over 12,000 rebounds in his 18-year career, Mutombo built an incredible legacy on the court.
His basketball career began at Georgetown University, where he played for renowned coach John Thompson. At 7 feet 2 inches tall, one might expect that Mutombo attended Georgetown on an athletic scholarship, as he was seemingly built for basketball. However, Mutombo immigrated to the United States from the Democratic Republic of Congo thanks to a USAID scholarship and a dream of becoming a doctor.
While it may be true that Mutomobo’s basketball legacy began at Georgetown, it was also the place where he cultivated his ideals of philanthropy. Mutombo graduated with double majors in Linguistics and Diplomacy, and entered the NBA following his graduation.
Highlights of Mutombo’s philanthropic ventures during his basketball career include being a spokesperson for the international relief agency CARE, traveling to Somali refugee camps in Kenya during the Somali Civil War, and funding the Congolese track and basketball teams’ travel and expenses during the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
In 2007, Mutombo opened the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital near Kinshasa in his native Congo. The hospital boasts many accomplishments, including partnering with USAID for a community-based initiative to treat HIV/AIDS in the region. More than anything, the hospital provides a much-needed advanced health center offering care for those who would elsewhere be denied access.
Mutombo retired from the NBA in 2009. But his efforts to promote global development have only grown. Mutombo is the founder and chairman of the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation, the organization that oversees all of his charitable ventures.
Mutombo also currently sits on the boards of Opportunity International, Special Olympics International, and UNICEF. A future endeavor for Mutombo is to build a state-of-the-art science and technology high school in Kinshasa. For his tireless efforts, on December 1, Forbes announced Mutombo as one of America’s “Top 50 Givers.”
Mutombo’s 18 years in the NBA are a testament to his talent and perseverance as an athlete, but it pales in comparison to his continuing fight to promote global health and development.
– Taylor Diamond
Sources: ESPN, Forbes
Photo: The Tallest Man
Serbia’s Domestic Violence Epidemic
The traumatized collective consciousness of the Serbian people is understandable given the war and strife the country has experienced in recent decades. These events coupled with pervasive poverty and patriarchal cultural norms have created a disturbing trend of domestic violence. A recent article by the Associated Press highlights that 54% of Serbian women have faced domestic violence in their lifetime. This statistic is extremely shocking compared to the 30-40% of women worldwide who have faced abuse and 25% in the United States.
The AP provides two harrowing accounts of violence. One account focuses on Mica, a woman who set her husband on fire after enduring years of abuse. The husband died of his injuries several days later in the hospital. The other describes a Serbian veteran who killed 13 relatives and wounded his wife in a mass shooting spree. The husband’s violent tendencies, typified by his habitual beatings of his wife, were never reported to authorities.
One of the major reasons that violence has perpetuated within Serbian society is the presence of deeply rooted patriarchal social norms. The image of the strong Serbian man and the submissive woman is a generally held view as opposed to an egalitarian relationship found in more liberal societies. This deeply held belief coupled with severe economic misery only compounds the problem. When frustration is pervasive, violence tends to follow.
There is also a severe lapse of authority with regards to Serbian officials preventing instances of abuse and prosecuting those responsible. Although the Serbian government has recognized the problem by enacting targeted legislation, the recent economic crisis has drained budget resources to the point that adequately funding these legal mechanisms is troublesome.
Furthermore, local authorities have shown a complete lack of interest in seriously prosecuting offenders to the fullest extent of the law. Most cases are resolved with warnings to the perpetrators. Shockingly, UNDP has discovered that the vast majority of cases involving domestic abuse resulted in the prosecutor failing to even interview the victim and the perpetrator 79.5% of the time. And 66.7% of the time criminal charges were dismissed, citing lack of evidence. It seems as though tolerance for this type of violence is rooted not only within individuals but within the public institutions charged with punishing perpetrators.
UNDP has created a project to help solve the crisis of domestic violence. The Integrated Response to Violence against Women in Serbia is attempting to change these deeply held beliefs within the country by creating preventative programs such as youth education on gender equality and gender based violence, programs aimed at reaching out to perpetrators, and campaigns focused on raising public awareness and altering stereotypes.
The Associated Press points out that perhaps awareness for this problem is gaining traction among authorities in Serbia. For instance, in the case of Mica, the judge issued her a minimum sentence of five years in jail for the murder of her husband. The judge even seemed to show sympathy for all the years of abuse she endured.
– Zack Lindberg
Sources: UNDP
Organ Harvesting in China
Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting drew up a petition on Human Rights Day this year, in an effort to end the organ harvesting practices. Nearly 1.5 million people around the world have signed the petition, with just over 200,000 signitures from Taiwanese and one million from people in Asia.
As far as enforcing a law against these particular doctors’ actions the ministry has proposed an amendment to the Human Organ Transplant Act, which would make organ trafficking a crime subject to one to five years in prison.
– Laura Reinacher
Sources: CBS News, Taipei Times
Photo: Caribbean World Entertainment
5 “Nerdy” Charities
Whether someone is a fan of computers or an avid gamer, they stand for it with pride and enjoy being a part of your respective community. Perhaps they wish to do a good deed for the world, but are not sure where to start; below they will find a list of the five charities that best resonate with the interests of many people:
1. EurekaFund
Revolving around various proposals for creating clean, innovative, environmentally-friendly technology, EurekaFund is a database of current research proposals that require further funding. The site provides options of directly donating to a particular project or–in the case that they are a scientist–the possibility of submitting their work and opening a fund of its own.
2. SciFlies
A site to for browsing and inspiration, SciFlies includes modern solutions by conscientious scientists, whose individual profiles are also accessible here. Consumers will read their stories and surely discover something worthy of their time: many of the designs presented here induce a lot of promise and hope for the near future. All fundable projects are accessibly categorized by subtopics, often including photographs and links to outside sources for more in-depth information.
3. Creative Commons
With a mission of universalizing innovation, creativity, and information, and in partnership with Research & Development, Creative Commons is an excellent place for those desiring to see a world of knowledge. Think everyone should have an equal chance at higher education? Check out Creative Commons. In the information and technology age of today, there are few things we cannot accomplish already–to help further spread knowledge across the population is to revolutionize our future.
4. Child’s Play Charity
Here is one for us worldly gamers. Child’s Play is a game industry charity that has been around for a decade. Through donations from its followers, it supplies over seventy hospitals and its young residents across the globe with toys and games. All goals are set up as “achievements” in this charity, and the impact it has in its focus area has brought a lot of positive feedback to gamers.
5. Wikipedia
Good, old, trustworthy Wikipedia–everyone with access to a computer and internet knows Wikipedia, everyone uses Wikipedia, and most cannot help loving Wikipedia. The non-profit online encyclopedia with endless resources always welcomes donations; help sponsor what is shaping up to be our primary source of information if you enjoy having nearly anything you need to know in just one search away.
– Natalia Isaeva
Sources: Eureka Fund, SciFlies, Child’s Play, Creative Commons, Hub Pages
Photo: Agiel Geoscience
The Hookworm Vaccine
A new hookworm vaccine is the hope of millions of infected people in Africa. Although it is experimental and will be the first African clinical trial for this parasite, it is already scheduled for 2014 because hookworm infestations are rampant among the African poor. Over 102 trial participants, ages 18 to 45 will be given the vaccine over a four month period and be rechecked after a year. Once the adult participants remain safe and have positive immune responses, children will be given the vaccines. These trials will begin in Gabon, Africa.
Hookworms are easily transmitted to children who walk around barefoot. Most children who also suffer from malnutrition are attacked by the parasite and become extremely weak, which leads to learning problems and stunted growth. These parasites drain the blood of any individual and eventually cause anemia. Hookworms also infest adults and cause financial strains on the family as men and women gradually weaken from loss of blood. Even pregnant women are not free from danger since their fetus is also affected from the blood loss. These worms enter the body through the feet. Once they are inside the bloodstream they travel towards the lungs. From the lungs they reach the intestines where they grip the interior walls with their two sets of teeth. Here they are able to remain attached, suck any quantity of blood and grow to half an inch long.The aim of the hookworm vaccine is to create antibodies which will slowly kill the worms. As the antibodies are formed, it will work against two enzymes present in the hookworm’s gut. One enzyme processes iron in its blood diet and the other enzyme allows for digestion of blood proteins. As the antibodies fight against these enzymes, the hookworm’s energy source weakens and will eventually die.
Clinical trials are set for a minimum of five years regardless of whether there is success with treatments. This vaccine could potentially be the answer to hookworm elimination which is the leading cause of iron deficient anemia among millions of the world’s poor. Dr. Hotez, the director of the Sabin Vaccine Institute has been working on this vaccine for over 30 years. His effort and commitment over this lapse of time will surely be a victory to be seen.
– Maybelline Martez
Sources: NIH, Medical News Today, New York Times
Universal Healthcare to End Global Poverty
World Bank president Jim Yong Kim spoke in Tokyo last week on how to promote economic growth in developing countries. Kim says that the most crucial factor in poverty alleviation is universal health coverage. “Anyone who has provided health care to poor people knows that even tiny out-of-pocket charges can drastically reduce their use of needed services,” he said. “This is both unjust and unnecessary.”
According to the World Heath Organization, 100 million people fall into poverty each year due to medical expenses. Kim believes implementing universal health insurance coverage in every country could help end extreme poverty by 2030.
In May 2013, Kim announced his support of universal health insurance coverage to the 66th World Health assembly saying, “We have the opportunity to unite global health and the fight against poverty in action focused on clear goals.” These goals include decreasing child and maternal mortality, developing a monitoring framework for universal coverage, improving health education and performing scientific research on delivery techniques.
Last year the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution urging countries to eliminate point-of-service fees in order to make health care more accessible. Now, Kim pushes developing countries to shift towards a universal model. Japan has been providing universal coverage since 1961, when many thought it was not financially possible. In Japan, a patient can pay a maximum of 30% of medical bills while the rest is paid through social insurance programs and taxes.
In the U.S., Kim has been a strong supporter of the Affordable Care Act, saying his only concern is that it doesn’t go far enough to expand access to medical care. Kim told those at the conference that universal healthcare is “one of the best things you can do to spur immediate and long-term economic growth … and one way of reducing inequality (which can) slow economic growth.”
– Stephanie Lamm
Sources: Aljazeera, The World Bank, Money News, Think Progress