While controversy is not new to Bono's Product (RED) campaign, a new level of scrutiny has brought an entirely disappointing and discouraging amount of misuse of funds to the surface....
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Report: Corruption Plagues Charity Backed By Bono
As much as two thirds of some grants lost or misspent
Celebrity do-gooder Bono can't be happy about this: the nonprofit he is raising millions of dollars for is plagued with fraud.
As much as two thirds of grants donated to celebrity-supportedGlobal Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria have been lost in corruption, the Associated Press found.
The findings are a major blow to U2 frontman's goals for (Product) Red, the global charity brand he co-launched that donates a large portion of its proceeds to the organization to fight and raise awareness about AIDS.
Forged documents and improper bookkeeping indicate that a large percentage of the money in the $21.7 billion development fund was lost or embezzled, investigators told the Associated Press. And so far, the inspector general's office has only examined a fraction of the $10 billion spent since the organization began in 2002. ...
This article is from a couple of years ago, but was recently brought to my attention. It tackles the Africa question from a different angle than we are accustomed to. In the global charity space, usually the discussion is over the observable results of a project - does the water well work? how much has disease been reduced? The 'secular' metrics of a project are highly important.
But what about cultural and spiritual metrics? How are we challenging and changing people's lives, hearts, and families in ways that can promote development. The article below tackles this question in a very unique way. Enjoy - -
As an atheist, I truly believe Africa needs God Missionaries, not aid money, are the solution to Africa's biggest problem - the crushing passivity of the people's mindset by Matthew Parris
Before Christmas I returned, after 45 years, to the country that as a boy I knew as Nyasaland. Today it's Malawi, and The Times Christmas Appeal includes a small British charity working there. Pump Aid helps rural communities to install a simple pump, letting people keep their village wells sealed and clean. I went to see this work.
It inspired me, renewing my flagging faith in development charities. But travelling in Malawi refreshed another belief, too: one I've been trying to banish all my life, but an observation I've been unable to avoid since my African childhood. It confounds my ideological beliefs, stubbornly refuses to fit my world view, and has embarrassed my growing belief that there is no God.
Now a confirmed atheist, I've become convinced of the enormous contribution that Christian evangelism makes in Africa: sharply distinct from the work of secular NGOs, government projects and international aid efforts. These alone will not do. Education and training alone will not do. In Africa Christianity changes people's hearts. It brings a spiritual transformation. The rebirth is real. The change is good. ...
Here's a great example of someone being thoughtful about their personal approach to giving. The UK needs people to step up and make significant pledges like this!
Many thanks to our friends who joined us in fasting for World Water Day 2010. ... Together, we changed thousands of lives. Thanks so much to JJ Starr for the awesome pics!!! ... Here are a few of the photos he brought back from our first completed water projects in India ...
In wealthy nations, we pour clean water from a faucet each morning. Not so for the global poor -- where nearly a billion people drink, cook and bathe with dirty water from infested swamps. This unsafe water causes disease and death, while also keeping women from work and children out of school.
On World Water Day this year -- March 22 -- we must take time out to remember the 4,500 children who die each day for a lack of access to clean, safe water.
In rural villages, children walk an average of 3.5 miles every day to fetch water from a smelly mudhole. Over 50% of the world’s hospital beds are filled with patients who suffer from water-borne illness.
If we drill a clean water well, the kids can go to school, and clinics are less crowded. Clean water access is the very first step -- a foundation for life, health, education and opportunity.
Since I began studying and living the grit of global poverty and economic development years ago, one burning question has consumed me: What is the most I can do as one person?
Of course government and business -- if directed properly -- could both help the global poor in a big way. Real leaders in these areas must pursue clear property rights and rule of law while promoting sustainable growth through trade and commerce.
But for those of us who are everyday citizens -- not currently elected leaders or multinational executives -- what is our best way to serve the poorest?
In the global poverty dialogue, there are policy experts who debate the merits of various interventions -- vitamins, food, medicine, infrastructure. Critics of water wells argue that some water projects fail, fall out of use, or are not sufficient in themselves.
Their critiques are important. We must develop ‘best practices’ from successful water projects (which are the vast majority). Further, we must create integrated solutions that create impact through a multi-faceted approach.
In a few years, we will see highly innovative rural projects that center on clean water access while transforming the entire village. Effective charities can build many other capacities around a water well -- training the community in well maintenance and repair, teaching hygiene and sanitation, and providing needed vitamins and medicine.
Among other big players, the Gates Foundation is investing heavily each year into building water and sanitation projects -- as well as discovering ways that the most effective solutions can be replicated on a global scale.
What’s incredible is that while Gates gives away a few billion dollars each year, the generosity of individual Americans is nearly 100 times larger -- some $230 billion in annual charity comes from all the ‘little guys’ rather than corporate or foundation grants.
What does this mean for us? Thoughtful public giving can change the world many times faster than the biggest headline donors. We are in fact ‘the change’ for the world -- and it is our duty to become informed global philanthropists.
It is up to us to change lives with clean water. For the price of lunch -- only $10 -- I can give one person access to clean water for a lifetime. If just one in ten Americans gave $150 to clean water, we could solve half of the most urgent crisis of the global poor -- giving clean water to 500 million people.
To create real global change, informed citizens must find excellent solutions and spread the word. Will you be the one in ten to change lives?
Water is the most urgent need of the global poor. In memory of the thousands who die each day from unsafe water, please seek out a great water charity, spread the word, and change lives today.
World Water Day is March 22. Rich Halvorson is a social entrepreneur and founder of GiveH2O, a coalition of high-efficiency charities that have given clean water to over 1 million people.
This year's Fall Campaign really came together well. We had 225 people fast 1 meal a week for 12 weeks and give the money they would have spent out on food ($10) towards clean water projects that impact the most impoverished in the world. The original 225 people raised $27,000.00 that has funded 9 wells (see check). Congratulations Everyone! And in order to reach our original goal of 30K, 77 people have agreed to do one more month,enabling us to fund our 10th well by the end of January! So proud of everyone involved and hope that your lives were enhanced by making tangible sacrifices each week for the good of those in need. So excited for what's in store and hope to create more smiles this year (like the one here at a Global Fast well in Liberia).
To be honest, I am not looking forward to tomorrow. The last couple Wednesdays I've fasted, i've been tired, lost energy, and been in a little funk the second half of the day. And I also find myself complaining about it a lot.
But when I remember the people we met (like the woman on the left), I am reminded why we're doing it the way we are doing it. By fasting and being uncomfortable for the afternoon, I am forced to remember how good I have it. And regardless of how much I want to complain (and still do), I am confronted by the fact that missing a meal is not even comparable to having to drink muddy water out of a hole in the ground. My hope is that by doing Global Fast, my heart starts to change, so that I actually care more about people in desperate need than I do my own comfort, at least for one meal a week. Its a step towards compassion, something that the world can always use.
What happens when you tell 1000 inner-city students that their lives can change others? They step up.
The students of Markham Middle School in Watts, Ca walk through drug dealers, prostitutes, and 32 gang territories to get to school. They are told that they need help -- but they proved that their lives can change the world.
Many thanks to the amazing JJ Starr who put this together. There is a group of 27 students at Pepperdine fasting and praying and giving together to fund a well. They made this video in one of their classrooms...just with drawings on the white board. Awesome, huh?
Ever wanted to be a hero and save hundreds of lives? .... As a leader in the Fall Campaign, you will rally a team to build a water well in Peru, Liberia, or India. Clean water is the #1 need of the global poor, and each water well serves an average of 400 people for at least 20 years!
You can build your team now, fast and give just ONE meal per week for 12 weeks -- that's a total of twelve meals fasted ($10 each), you donate -- we pass 100% on to our partner Generosity Water, who manages the well building projects at $3000 each.
Download the PDFs below to build your team and become a global hero, giving new life and hope to a whole village. ...
The more we research global poverty and what can be done to help those in the most need, the more clear it has become that access to clean water is the top issue for the global poor.
Therefore, this fall we are partnering with Generosity Water to build clean water wells in 4 strategic locations (Liberia, Ghana, India, and Peru). In each of these places we can bring life to an entire community for only $3,000.
So this fall we are launching a campaign to bring new life to at least 15 communities in the developing world.
This is how it'll work...
Fall=3 months=12 weeks=12 meals skipped, Meals Out=$10, And we're going to involve our friends (groups of 25)
25 x $10 x 12 = $3,000 = 1 Well
We're looking for groups of 2-3 friends who would agree to be team leaders and would figure out how to build their teams up to 25 people for this fall. It'll be 12 meals over the course of the fall (Sept, Oct, and Nov.) and you're budget won't change a bit. But your sacrifice will change lives and enable more of this (below). Email michael@globalfast.org to get involved.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Global Fast! One of our very own, Trevor Hightower just got married this weekend in Colorado. Not only did he marry this gorgeous girl on the right, but they used the celebration of their love as an occasion to serve those in the most need in the world. In response to the water crisis, they decided to make their Big Day a big day for an impoverished community. In addition to setting up a regular registry for household items, Trevor and his bride created WeddingGive.com to enable his guests to give clean water to kids in Africa through Global Fast and Generosity Water. Check out the website http://www.weddinggive.com/Site/Home_.html
So not only will they get their household necessities but hundreds of people will be drinking clean water because of the Hightowers. This is an amazing example of someone taking their life, their influence, their situation and using for the good of those in most need. Amazing!
Last night I heard Scott Harrison of Charity Water speak at CAA about the water crisis in the world. While many of us have heard that over a Billion people do not have access to clean water and that thousands are dying daily, Charity Water has done a great job of helping people connect their hearts with ways to help. So while I love their innovative communication. I am thankful that our partner Generosity Water is able to build wells at an even better price per well than Charity Water. So watch this PSA and let's figure out how we can save even more lives through Global Fast and Generosity Water.
These are kids from the specific village in Gulu, Uganda that are going to be helped by the fasting team featured below. In a month or so, they will no longer drink that dirty water, they will be more healthy, and will hopefully be in school instead of carrying those little yellow jerrycans.
The more people that we get to join us, the more of this we can do!
Thanks so much to the Michael Muniz team building two wells in Uganda! ... First off, the team began with 30 people on Michael's team fasting together one meal each week for a few months, then Joe Smith threw a fasting event ... The two combined raised enough to build one well for $5,000. .... And then, to our surprise, Generosity Water had found matching funds to build a second well along with all that we raised! ... As a result of your fasting, some cool events, and a generous matching donor, 3,000 lives will be changed in one of the most needy areas of Uganda!
We fast in solidarity with the people of Darfur because they do not have a choice. We fast as a personal expression of outrage at a world that has allowed the suffering of millions of innocent people. We fast because as we simply watched, Darfur’s defenceless people were forced into wretched camps where today they are facing starvation and disease. We fast because those in positions of authority who know what is right and just, could and should do more to alleviate their suffering and bring peace, protection, and justice to the people of Sudan.
We fast for Darfur’s courageous people —because we yearn for a world where human rights are respected and a life of dignity is the legacy for every man, woman and child.
Please join us and get involved in supporting the people of Darfur by going towww.fastdarfur.org and taking action.
As of April 2009, the second Global Fast fishing village in Haiti launches in our partnership with Food For The Poor. The fishing project will create sustainable food and income for a village of approximately 1,000 people on the northern coast of Haiti. Thank you so much to Food For The Poor and to everyone who fasted one day to make this a reality!
The US State Department reports that Iraqi leaders are not combating human trafficking. According to one insider trying to break up the trafficking rings: “The buying and selling of girls in Iraq, it’s like the trade in cattle. … I’ve seen mothers haggle with agents over the price of their daughters.”
Foreign Policy writer argues for a more ‘comprehensive approach’ to engage North Korea – including a peace treaty, normalization of political relations, and an economic boost. Given the North’s lack of cooperation and consistency, this agenda seems optimistic, but options for real progress are few.
Predicitons include: more government corruption, longer skirts for ladies, we get hip to piggy banks and state schools, some surge in both military and missionaries, economic protectionism makes a comeback, and boomers grasp their desks, refusing to leave.
global fast news >
our movement is partnering with Mosaic and Awaken Humanity to change hearts and save lives around the world: www.globalfast.org/mosaic
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