The Gates Foundation
 
 
Jim Hudson gave us the following update on the Foundation.
 
As you know, our Rotary Foundation is funded by individual Rotarians, Rotary clubs & districts and individual benefactors.  The Polio programme is funded through contributions from WHO, UNICEF, world governments and Rotary. 
 
And the source of Rotary funds? It’s from individual Rotarians, clubs, districts and benefactors who “choose” to work in close relationship with organisations like Rotary.
 
The best known and by far the most generous is the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation fighting poverty, disease and inequality around the world.  I had the mistaken belief that if Rotary reached its goal of raising $50m this year then Bill would write out a cheque for $100m Rotary could get on with its vaccination programmes.  Not a bit of it.
 
The Gates Foundation is guided by the belief that every life has equal value.  It works in developing countries focussing on improving people’s health and giving them a chance to lift out of hunger and extreme poverty.  In the US it focuses especially on Blacks and Latinos to give them opportunities otherwise denied them.  It is based in Seattle and Warren Buffet, the financier and investment Guru, is one of four directors.
 
In 2019 the Foundation invested over US $5 Billion dollars in the fields of global development, health, growth and opportunity for the oppressed. 
 
These are very broad categories but they have a Global Delivery Programme to make their systems work, whether it be helping with the education of children in Sub-Saharan Africa or an agricultural programme in India.  They work in partnership with global financing organisations like the World Bank and the Global Fund to fight Aids, tuberculosis and malaria as well as polio.
 
So, while the Gates Foundation does its incredible work dealing with a host of challenges worldwide, we must fulfil our commitment towards Rotary’s goal of $US$50m this year.  What is requested of us?  US$1500 per club.  Not a big ask.  We are half way there.  But the Rotary year is 5/6ths over.   Become a Centurion.  Get in touch with Deryn and help our cause. 
 
As a matter of interest, how many of us have contributed so far and have we done this directly to RI?  April 24th-30th was World Immunisation Week so this suggests that now a great time to show our commitment. 
 
Rotary won’t be giving up on this project until it is finished.  And that is three years after the last case of wild polio has been eliminated.  This is everyone’s commitment.