Archive for category: Nonprofit Organizations and NGOs

Information and stories about nonprofit organizations and NGOs

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MacArthur Fights for Women’s Rights In Nigeria

Nigeria
Every year, the MacArthur Foundation awards substantial grant money to a select few nonprofit organizations for “exceptional creativity and effectiveness.” Ranging from $750,000 to $1.5 million, these donations help fund organizations that benefit disadvantaged citizens around the globe. This year, the Foundation has awarded $750,000 to Nigeria’s Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA), an initiative that serves to combat the frequency of human rights abuses suffered by women in Nigeria.

Nigerian women are consistently subject to employment discrimination and denied access to educational opportunities. Denied equal status under the law, they are disproportionally impoverished and lack basic access to healthcare. Violence against women is rampant, and many investigative journalists suspect collusion among police and government officials intentionally to underreport cases of sexual assault. The problem has become so pervasive that Nigerians are demanding dozens of counseling clinics from the United Nations to help the numerous victims of these violent crimes.

However, this sizable grant is a necessary first step to address these widespread problems. Luckily, WRAPA has first-hand experience confronting controversial issues hindering women’s progress in the West African Nation. The organization continues to fight for universal marriage consent as well as a divorced woman’s right to child custody.

In addition, WRAPA is publically speaking out against the oppressive nature of Sharia Law in courts by providing first-class legal representation to women who otherwise would have been denied due process. Finally, the organization is using its grant money to respond to the Nigerians’ demand for counseling clinics. With this substantial increase in funding, WRAPA will construct a resource center to help abused women by providing temporary shelter and mental health professionals.

The nonprofit is also taking political action. According to the MacArthur Foundation, the program has garnered support from 84 government officials and local leaders to provide greater opportunities for women under Sharia Law. Although cultural changes will take longer to realize, legal equality is an essential first step for women to garner basic human rights, and a resolution to guarantee compensation from estranged fathers is in the works.

In addition, WRAPA is aggressively tackling poverty at the local level in Nigeria. The Macarthur Foundation estimates the up to 30 women per day will benefit from the program’s imitative to educate the disadvantaged. Reading lessons are provided daily, and the organization continues to connect undereducated girls to nearby public schools, yet no problem is too small. Houses are being repaired and proper cooking techniques are being taught. Anything to help these women live better lives.

More can be done, however. The recent kidnappings in the country are a horrific reminder that women also suffer from violence that accompanies political instability. WRAPA will continue to work with government officials to enact stringent punishments against violent offenders. In addition, the international community must respond to this current crisis to deter future terrorist acts targeted at Nigerian women.

Alongside Nigeria’s WRAPA, The MacArthur Foundation awarded grants to twelve other nonprofit organizations. You can find the entire list at this website.

– Sam Preston

Sources: Macfound, USA Today, Leadership

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IKEA Improves Lives with Global Philanthropy

The IKEA Foundation’s 2013 annual report celebrates a year of exciting achievements and a growing commitment to global development.

Established in 2009, the IKEA Foundation is the philanthropic entity associated with IKEA, the popular Swedish home furnishings company. In the past year, the foundation has gained 12 new partners and donated 101 million euros to those partner organizations, contributing to the continued implementation of innovative children’s programs. With the support of a new Brazilian partner organization, the IKEA Foundation has also been able to reach children in South America for the first time. In addition, a number of partners have also started to develop emergency shelters for displaced refugees.

Compared to the total monetary donation in 2012 (82 million euros), the IKEA Foundation’s 2013 contribution saw a 21 percent overall increase in giving. IKEA’s Soft Toys for Education campaign raised 10.1 million euros and helped 11 million children. Moreover, the foundation’s projects throughout 2013 impacted children in 35 different countries.

The IKEA Foundation focuses on four areas of development: fighting child labor and promoting children’s rights, improving the lives of refugee children and families, empowering women and girls as well as disaster relief. The foundation also funds education projects for children and works to change current social attitudes towards child labor in developing communities. In 2013, the IKEA Foundation helped UNICEF and Save the Children fight child labor in India and Pakistan. By reaching out to farmers, families and other community leaders, the foundation hopes to raise awareness of the dangers that children face in the workplace – specifically, in the cotton, carpet and metalware industries. Additionally, the foundation’s new partnership with Care for Children is helping place orphans into supportive and loving families in Asia.

In conjunction with the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the IKEA Foundation is working to develop safer and more durable emergency shelters for refugees. Innovative additions (such as solar lighting) are expected to increase the lifespan of current refugee camps. Last year, UNHCR began experimenting with the reworked shelters in Ethiopia, taking into account the feedback provided by refugee families living in the newly developed camps.

The IKEA Foundation continues to support KickStart, a partner organization that trains women in southern Africa to grow and sell crops, launch their own businesses and establish a reliable income. The foundation also expanded the number of scholarship opportunities for women and girls to get an education. Currently, the IKEA Foundation’s partnership with the Lila Poonawalla Foundation helps 1,900 poor Indian women pursue higher education in fields like engineering, agriculture and healthcare.

By giving cash grants to its partners, the IKEA Foundation strives to help families immediately after disasters and other conflicts. During the past year, partner organizations used IKEA’s grants to provide medical care to Syrian refugees. After Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines, many partners brought emergency supplies to devastated communities. The IKEA Foundation itself has donated IKEA toys and products to around 1.2 million affected children around the world.

The IKEA Foundation has clearly expanded its goals and reached several new milestones in 2013, but CEO Per Heggenes believes that the foundation has more to offer. “The journey continues,” he wrote, “and we still have lots to accomplish.”

– Kristy Liao

Sources: IKEA Foundation
Photo: INiTs

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Bread for the World: The Faith to End Hunger

Bread_For_The_Word
Bread for the World, a Washington D.C. based nonprofit organization, is urging government leaders and communities of faith to end hunger.

Every day, around 16,000 children die from hunger related causes. 1.5 billion people live in extreme poverty in developing nations around the world, but developed nations are not exempt from the problem of hunger – nearly 15 percent of those living in the U.S. have struggled with food insecurity at some point in their life.

Motivated by the belief that ordinary people can do “plenty” to end global hunger, Bread for the World seeks to empower U.S. citizens to voice their support of hunger-fighting policies to their elected representatives. A bipartisan “collective Christian voice,” their network includes thousands of individuals, churches and denominations – therefore creating an impact that reaches far beyond their local communities.

After analyzing policy, Bread for the World creates strategies to move toward their ultimate goal – to end hunger at home and abroad. The movements they create within churches, campuses and other organizations help build political commitment to overcome poverty. Bread for the World accomplishes their work with integrity, earning a four star Charity Navigator rating and spending an impressive 82.9 percent of their budget on deliverable programs and services.

Bread for the World Institute, the educational wing of Bread for the World, exists to conduct extensive research on food policy and provide information to Bread for the World’s advocacy network. Their studies empower constituents with information to ultimately change the politics of hunger.

For 2014, Bread for the World is focusing its efforts on reforming U.S. food aid, calling for the economically powerful U.S. government to use their resources more efficiently and effectively. Bread for the World estimates that with improvements and changes, 17 million more people could benefit from food aid each year without any additional costs to taxpayers.

Find more information and extensive educational materials, visit www.bread.org.

– Madisson Barnett

Sources: Bread For the World, Charity Navigator
Photo: Food Tank

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3 Innovative NGOs in Education


Education is one of the key weapons to combatting poverty around the world. Several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have come up with unique programs and solutions to allow greater access to education in developing countries.

1. Barefoot College was founded in 1972 in India and works to build skills in rural villages. The founders of Barefoot College wanted to apply traditional knowledge to modern day problems by teaching locals specialized skills. They believe that literacy is learned in school, but education is gained from “family, culture, environment and personal experiences, and both are important for individual growth.” Their entire campus is powered by solar energy, teaching the local community about sustainable energy. Barefoot College teaches the local community about modern technologies and women’s empowerment, to help them grow as human beings.

2. Room to Read was founded in 2002 to increase literacy and gender equality in Africa and Asia. This organization aims to improve the habit of reading among elementary school children and increase the number of girls who stay in school beyond elementary school. It has become one of the most well known international education programs, with 50 chapters in 16 countries. The organization relies on a model that creates programs to support girls financially and mentally, building new schools and libraries, and providing books. Since 2002, Room to Read has encouraged around 7.8 million children to read more.

3. Tostan was founded in 1991 and is dedicated to community development education and ending female genital cutting. Located in 8 African countries, this organization combines education and development goals in a “three year nonformal education program.” Instead of conforming to a standardized model of development, local communities can create own programs that suit their own needs. A facilitator is appointed to live and work with each rural community for three years, teaching them human rights concepts, health habits, reading and mathematics, project management and income generation ideas. Out of the democratically elected 17 members Community Management Committee, who carry out development projects, women must hold 9 of the positions. This ensures that the women in their community have their voices and problems heard. Since 1991, over 200,000 individuals have directly participated in Tostan.

– Sarah Yan

Sources: International Relations Online, Tostan
Photo: Tostan

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How Global Communities is Empowering the Vulnerable

Global Communities Empowering the Vulnerable
Global Communities, an international nonprofit headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland, works in over 20 countries around the world to bring about sustainable change for some of the world’s most vulnerable. In order to improve the lives of the poor, Global Communities engages with governments, the private sector and non-government organizations to work with communities and not just provide services for them.

Global Communities was founded in 1952 as the Foundation for Cooperative Housing and has expanded its work to Africa, Asia, Europe and the Caucasus, Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as the Middle East. Its work is founded on the principle of “bringing together complementary strengths and shared responsibilities to work toward common goals,” and focuses on empowering entire communities to become healthy and self-sufficient.

Global Communities boasts expertise in the following areas: Economic Development, Micro/SME/Housing Finance, Infrastructure and Construction, Governance and Urban Management, Civil Society and Capacity Development, Global Health, Humanitarian Assistance, Working With Women and Youth and Food Security and Agriculture. They apply these expertise to communities around the world to solve complex problems and strengthen weak systems.

To begin a new project, Global Communities engages a new community by holding a community-wide council meeting where local leaders direct the decision making and prioritization processes for future work. Throughout the entire process of development, community leaders are closely involved with the project to help ensure a higher likelihood of sustainability.

Once projects are complete, they are often maintained by the local government, an important reason for local government to be involved from the start. When communities do not have positive relationships with their government, for example, in post-conflict situations, Global Communities works to teach these two parties to interact constructively.

In regard to other partnerships, Global Communities works to build the technical capacity of local organizations as they tackle a problem together and advises businesses in the private sector. All the while, the goal is to eventually make the work of Global Communities unnecessary—that is, empower the community to undertake their own development without outside help.

Global Communities’ financial approach is accountable, efficient and effective, with 89.6 percent of its funds spent on programs. Each dollar is accountable to the donor, whether that donor be an individual or a government. Progress for each project is managed by donor’s standards, and regular updates are given on the Global Communities website as well as in publications. They have repeatedly won the MIX Transparency Award for their work in micro-finance as well as many awards throughout the years. Find an exhaustive list here.

After 60 years of work, Global Communities understands that the world is continually changing and always will be. These changes are acknowledged, but Global Communities will continue to thrive as an organization that recognizes its core purpose amid a changing world- to “empower the vulnerable and help them be leaders of their own development.”

– Madisson Barnett

Sources: Global Government, Charity Navigator
Photo: The Artrium

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A Wider Circle: Good News from D.C.

A_Wider_Circle
A hundred million people are estimated to be homeless in the world and the number is only growing bigger with the rise and fall of economies. It is estimated that there are another 100 million “hidden homeless” worldwide, a number which takes into account those living in abandoned houses, cars, or houses and apartments with little to no furnishings.

Dr. Mark Bergel, now deemed a CNN Hero, founded his organization after noticing the very few furnishings in the houses of those struggling to make ends meet.

Bergel started his journey as a professor at American University and eventually took on his vision to help others as a full time job. He founded an organization called A Wider Circle in 2001, a nonprofit devoted to furnishing the homes of families living in poverty, free of charge.

Since it’s founding, A Wider Circle has furnished the houses of over 125,000 people, but Bergel’s mission does not stop there. He is also committed to providing an education for those who have asked for one.

Managers from the Greater Washington Area’s homeless shelters mentioned to Bergel that an education in “life skills” and how to cope with stress would be highly beneficial for the shelters’ frequenters.

So that is just what Bergel did.

He incorporated educational programs into A Wider Circle’s mission to help lift adults and children out of poverty by communicating the importance of life skills and helping to adjust the “whole person.”

“I want to help create the change that will enable people to rise out of poverty and enjoy the freedom and independence afforded to others. Poverty is a human problem, and human beings will solve it,” Bergel explained.

After many community service trips, Bergel came face to face with the truth that many people living below the poverty line often lived without beds, tables and couches. Bergel stated that “most apartments had nothing but a chair… There was nothing that would give these people a sense of hope, [or] a sense of dignity.”

With new furnishings and one less issue to worry about Bergel hopes to give families room to breathe and the ability to start fresh.

Currently, A Wider Circle has two full warehouses complete with donated furniture, toys, clothes and clean sheets. Families are able to stop in and choose what they need from the selection.

Since donating his own bed in 2008, Bergel has been sleeping on his floor or couch. He says he intends to do so until every family in the United States has enough beds for each family member.

Bergel’s foundation is not only helping people in the U.S. to live easier lives, but he is also bringing attention to a global issue — the “hidden homeless.” By helping the lives of the “hidden homeless” in the U.S. Bergel is one step closer to addressing this issue on a global scale, and by publicizing his work, we are one step closer to inspiring others to follow his lead.

– Becka Felcon

Sources: CNN, A Wider Circle
Photo: Brown University

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Kiva: Microfinancing and the Gift of Investment

kiva
Interested in empowering the poor? Look no further than Kiva, a San Francisco based nonprofit that has provided over $542,899,850 in small loans to poor entrepreneurs around the world. Founded in 2004, Kiva makes it easy for individuals to lend as little as $25 to provide affordable capital to beneficiaries and help them start or improve a small business.

This practice of lending is known as microfinancing, and Kiva operates under the idea that poor individuals are able to lift themselves from poverty if given access to the proper financial services, such as access to loans and savings accounts.

Kiva keeps things personal and helps prevent the dehumanization of the poor by connecting the lender and the borrower directly. Using a person-to-person setup, Kiva allows potential lenders to browse the stories, pictures and loan proposals of beneficiaries before choosing an individual to lend to.

Kiva loans have a 0% interest rate and 100% of each loan goes directly to the borrower. Kiva does not take a cut, rather, their business operations are funded through donations from various grants, corporate sponsors and foundations.

The lending process begins with the selection of Field Partners in the 73 countries where Kiva works. These partners consist of social businesses, schools, microfinance organizations or other nonprofits that are committed to using credit to empower the poor.

Kiva Field Partners identify borrowers, administer loans and send pictures as well as stories of the borrowers to a team of volunteers that translate the stories and publish them to Kiva.org. Lenders then browse these stories and are able lend anywhere from $25 to the full price of the loan to the borrower they select.

As the borrowers repay their loans, Kiva provides repayments to lenders. Kiva boasts an impressive 98.93% repayment rate over 1.2 million funded borrowers. Once loans are repaid, individuals can re-lend their money to another borrower – and another, and another.

Traditionally, credit is often available to the poor through informal or erratic means. However, in many cases, these informal moneylenders charge such high interest rates that business owners are left with little working capital.

Kiva’s work allows the poor to attain affordable credit, which opens the door to economic opportunity. Studies by the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP) show that borrowing money helps households manage cash flow and regulate consumption as well as deal with everyday crises that may arise. Tangible impacts seen include households making greater investments in the education of their children, better nutrition and living conditions, and an increase in healthcare services when needed by members of the household.

In summary, using the resources provided by lenders via Kiva allows poor households, “to make the transformation from ‘every-day survival’ to ‘planning for the future.’”

– Madisson Barnett

Sources: Monica Brand: Stanford, CGAP, Kiva
Photo: Kiva

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From Being Homeless to Feeding the Homeless

Derrick Walton knows what it feels like to be homeless, sleep in abandoned cars and not have enough, if anything, to eat. Therefore, when he established Chef D’s Rock Power Pizza in January 2014 in Des Moines, Iowa, he pledged to shut down his restaurant once a week to help in feeding the homeless.
“I made a promise that if I ever got in a position where I could help somebody, I would give something back,” Walton told Yahoo’s Good News blog.

Although Walton can’t really afford to close his restaurant one night a week, he continues to do so to make sure anyone who needs food can get it – for free.

On April 2, 2014, Walton was invited on the Ellen Degeneres Show and she gave him $10,000 for his cause. Ellen has been partnering with Bank of America to highlight people who give back to their communities. When she heard of Walton, she was touched by his story and wanted to help him get the word out about his restaurant.

Walton grew up in Detroit in a household of eight kids and he learned to cook from his mother. After going to culinary school, Walton said he made some bad choices that landed him homeless.

“It put me in a position where I needed help from others, but the doors were always closed,” he recalls. “I made a promise that if I ever got in a position where I could help somebody, I would give something back.”

After saving up money from a dish washing job and later a line cook, Walton was able to open Chef D’s Pizza. And now, the $10,000 check from Ellen will help him continue to be able to keep his doors open for the homeless on Monday nights.

Iowa is home to almost 3,000 homeless people. The state has a poverty rate of 12.7%. With poverty often comes food insecurity and Walton is doing a small part to alleviate hunger in the homeless population of Des Moines.

– Haley Sklut

Sources: Ellen, The Huffington Post, Yahoo, Spotlight on Poverty
Photo: LiftBump

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Britain’s Five Richest Families Worth More Than Poorest 20%

Income inequality is one of the biggest issues facing the world today. There is not a nation on Earth that is not affected by it in some way or another. The United Kingdom is currently facing a food crisis of national proportions with hundreds of thousands having to access emergency shelter food. Income inequality is also driving a wedge deeper and deeper in the British economy, making daily life even more difficult for working class families.

According to a study that was published by the charity organization Oxfam, the United Kingdom’s richest .1% have had their own personal incomes grow by over four times what the lowest 90% of Britain’s population have. Oxfam’s study used Forbe’s latest list of billionaires, and goes on to say that the United Kingdom’s five richest families have a total worth of over 28.2 billion pounds while the lowest 20% of the United Kingdom’s population only accumulated 28.1 billion pounds.

The Duke of Westminster topped the list of the top richest families in the United Kingdom. Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor is worth over 7.9 billion pounds and owns over 100 acres in London and Belgravia. The second highest were the Reuben brothers who are deal in extremely profitable metal business deals. Their company Trans World Metals, at its peak, controlled over 5% of the world aluminum supply. The third family on the list are the Hinduja Brothers who are worth over 6 billion pounds. The Hinduja brothers gained their fortunate by creating the Hinduja Group, which is conglomerate that oversees more than 21 companies that range from banks, to transportation systems, to chemical plants.

The fourth richest family in Britain is the Cadogan Family; the Viscount and Viscountess of Chelsea and their net worth of over 4 billion pounds. The fifth name on the list is Mike Ashley, owner of the prestigious football club Newcastle United who brought up the rear at 3.3 billion pounds.

The wealth that these families have accumulated is both astounding and impressive. However, in 2014 one of the biggest issues to both world leaders and citizens alike is the ever present issue of income inequality. The World Economic Forum declared that income inequality is one of the biggest threats that the world is facing today. Jennifer Blanke, the World Economic Forum’s Chief Economist cited the Arab Spring, as well as recent issues in both Brazil and South Africa as examples of how “…people are not going to stand for it anymore.”

The news that the top five richest families in Britain have accrued as much wealth as the bottom 20% is another piece of the income inequality puzzle that needs to be addressed and examined in a timely manner. The continuing rift between the rich and poor in every country around the world must be a main focus for the world’s leaders in order to take steps to address this issue.

– Arthur Fuller

Sources: The Guardian, The Independent, The Independent, The Guardian
Photo: Salon

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Consumer Companies Get Creative with Charity

Many consumer companies create social responsibility programs to stand out and make themselves sustainable, creative or innovative. However, when consumer products give back to the community, are consumers more likely to buy them?

1. Puma’s Clever World

Bring Me Back Program

If you have clothes or shoes that you don’t want anymore, Puma will take them, even if they are by another brand. Used or unwanted items are sorted and graded according to more than 400 criteria. Items are either re-worn as is, up-cycled for industrial use or recycled into raw materials for new products.

Films 4 Peace

Films4Peace is a short film commission by Puma featuring contemporary artists’ takes on peace. The works are screened and discussed at educational events globally and online. The short films do not contain any dialogue, thus removing any language barriers and making them widely accessible. Films4Peace celebrates World Peace Day, an international United National day of ceasefire where individuals and organizations can demonstrate acts of peace. World Peace Day takes place September 21 each year. The films are released to the public domain and are free from screening fees, making them a free gift to the world.

2. Honest Company

Baby2Baby

More than 60 members of the Honest Company family joined together with Baby2Baby on March 16 to donate 200 new cribs and more than 108,000 diapers to Los Angeles families in need. For every crib sold on Honest.com, the company promises to donate one crib to a family in need. The Los Angeles donation was the first delivery of cribs as part of that promise.

3. Burt’s Bees

The Greater Good Foundation

In 2007, Burt’s Bees established The Greater Good Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that empowers grassroots initiatives, particularly in the areas of protecting honeybees, supporting sustainable agriculture and supporting the local community. Since its inception, the foundation has donated $233,000 to 23 nonprofit organizations. Through the foundation, Burt’s Bees pledges to donate at least 10% of all web site revenues to its selected well-being partners, including Habitat for Humanity and the Triangle Land Conservancy.

More than 60% of consumers around the world prefer to buy products from companies that have programs to give back to society. 62% would also prefer to work for these companies and 59% would rather invest in companies that make a positive difference in the world.

– Haley Sklut

Sources: Puma, The Honest Co., Burt’s Bees, Nielsen
Photo: Baby2Baby