The Power of Giving

Why Give?

We live in a world, full of violence, human sufferings and environmental destruction.
Just take the recent events, the earth quakes & nuclear accident in Japan to violence to people caught in war or suppression in the Middle East Countries. These have untold disastrous impact to human existence and well being.
The world has responded quickly to these crisis with assistance of every conceivable kind, to help heal the wounds of these people and reduce their pain.
We believe that giving is a fundamental human need - one that benefits both the recipients of the gift and the giver.
To know more of benefits of giving, please click the attached hyperlink below.
http://www.thepowerofgiving.org/excerpt


What about Other Disasters?

In today world, there are many "disasters" that kill many more people that the earth quakes and in war torn countries - they just aren't as graphic, immediate or as easy to present on TV.
Consider the following statistics:

• One out of every four people in the world is hungry.

About 1.75 billion people in the 104 countries covered by the MPI—a third of their population — live in multidimensional poverty — that is, with at least 30 percent of the indicators reflecting acute deprivation in health, education and standard of living. This exceeds the estimated 1.44 billion people in those countries who live on $1.25 a day or less (though it is below the share who live on $2 or less).
Extract from http://hdr.undp.org/en/statistics/mpi/

• Every few seconds a child dies from a preventable disease

What  Can You Give?
You may have much to give, or you may have only a little to give.
The key to the power of giving is givng to your potential.
It is, to give what you have that could be of value to others.
These could include time, money, or the ability to organize a fundraising event, or they could be more intangible, like love, wisdom , and attention.
I strongly recommend you read "The Power of Giving" by Azim Jamal and Harvey Mckinnon. It is obtainable from the website http://www.thepowerofgiving.org/home 

Declaration: Ideas and extracts are  from The Power of Giving by  Azim Jamal and Harvey Mckinnon. While some of you who reads this blog may has bought the book, my intention of spreading the news is that this book changes lives! This book is a seamless “giving” project. Azim and Harvey have donated their time to write and promote this book. All author profits will go to non-profits through Tides Canada Foundation.


Can the power of giving really change your life? 
Many people, including me, believe wholeheartedly it will.
Read more from http://www.power-of-giving.com/

Generosity - The Power of Giving
http://www.wehelpyourock.com/2011/03/09/generosity-the-power-of-giving/


Let's help those who are in need of our "giving potential". 
You are a conduit - the more you give, the more you receive.
Giving is  a beautiful experience. 
Make a positive difference to other people lives.

Philanthropists Forum 2011_The Importance of Philanthropy

Philanthropists Forum 2011
In the  inaugural Credit Suisse Philanthropists Forum in Asia on 07 April 2011, Senior Minister Mr. Goh Chok Tong of Singapore Government Cabinet had highlighted the importance of Philanthropy.
"In recent years, the problems facing the world have been getting more acute. The World Bank estimated that the recent Global Financial Crisis pushed an additional 64 million people into extreme poverty. Rising energy and food prices have put additional stress on the most vulnerable, who spend more than half their income on food. The New Zealand, Japan and Myanmar earthquakes are the latest in a line of disasters to plague the Asia-Pacific. Climate change and natural disasters are creating new and pressing needs on an unprecedented scale.

Fortunately, philanthropy has risen to play an important role in dealing with these problems. Generous donations have brought about immediate relief in the aftermath of disasters, and have also funded medium to long term programmes, such as education and health services, to improve the well-being of communities."

More of his speech,
public/sgpc/en/media_releases/agencies/micacsd/speech/S-20110407-1

In the panel discussion on the second day of the same Forum, Mr. Lim Chee Onn, chairman of Temasek Holdings unit: Singbridge International Singapore, who also chairs the advisory board of the Harvard Singapore Foundation said, 

"These is a need to fuse social entrepreneurship and business entrepreneurship so that they reinforce each other. Philanthroypy can be embeded in the way we do business."

Business leaders in Asia are urged to encourage others to incorporate philantrhropy into their business activity.

Extract from article on "Let philanthropy beget more philanthropy" written By Conrad Tan of Business Times

http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/sub/specialfocus/story/0,4574,434044,00.html?

Asia's philanthrophy has not reached the maturity of Europe's or Amercia's, with envangelists like Bill Gates and Warren Buffett rallying the rich to give. But this is only natural as most rich Asians made their wealth recently, said speakers invited to the Forum.

One of the them who did it in his own way  is Mr, Niu Gensheng, founder of Chinese dairy products manufacturer Mengniu Dairy. He set up Lao Niu foundation to support other other charity funds and is own environmental, healthcare and education projects, mostly in Inner Mongolia.

Peter Buffett, son of billionaire investor Warren Buffett, made a similar point, when asked about the differences between Asia and the West when it comes to giving instead of keeping wealth in the family. 

See Teh Shi Ning's article on more of his comments

Philanthropy Initiatives by Some Other Organizations

The Asia Pacific Philanthropy Consortium

The Asia Pacific Philanthropy Consortium is an independent association of grantmaking philanthropic institutions and organizations that support the growth and development of philanthropy in the Asia Pacific region.

http://www.asiapacificphilanthropy.org/taxonomy/term/42

Asian Philanthropy Forum

Asian Philanthropy Forum is a global, online community where donors, philanthropy advisors, nonprofit professionals, and other social sector investors unite, act, share best practices, and leverage their philanthropic capital and knowledge to advance human justice and security, improve quality of life, and to protect the environment.  The Forum promotes philanthropy in Asia, to Asia and for Asia through a growing network of international contributors.  

Asian Philanthropy Forum's vision is of a world where every philanthropic impulse to improve life in Asia is effectively fulfilled and shared with others.

http://www.asianphilanthropyforum.org/

Centre for the Advancement of Philanthropy

Philanthropy Asia is the website of the Centre for the Advancement of Philanthropy. It is the first organization of its kind established in Malaysia (2007) in direct response to the philanthropic challenges in Malaysia and Asia and to assist in the development of more institutionalized, progressive and strategic forms of philanthropy. The Centre plays an important role in the advancement of indigenous, transregional and transnational (global) philanthropy. The Centre aims to engage Asians in philanthropic action to produce a better world, one that is more humane and sustainable.

http://philanthropyasia.webs.com/history.htm

 

Tracking the Pulse of Philanthropy in Asia

http://www.asianphilanthropyforum.org/articles-on-asia-pacific-.html

21st IAVE World Volunteer & Youth Conferences 2011

21^st IAVE World Volunteer Conference 2011

The event had taken place in Singapore on January 24 - 27, 2011. Hosted by Singapore’s National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre, the event was run in conjunction with the 10th anniversary of the UN International Year of Volunteers (IYV +10) and IAVE’s 40th anniversary. In the tradition of recent IAVE conferences, an affiliated Youth Volunteer Conference was held on January 21 - 23.

For more details, see http://iave2011.org/home/index.php

News of conference, see http://www.iave.org/ &  GCVC news http://www.iave.org/gcvc

For News, Videos and Comments on IAVE Youth Volunteer Conference http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/IAVE-Youth-Volunteer-Conference-2011/120359401358317


About IAVE

Introducing IAVE

The International Association for Volunteer Effort (IAVE) was founded in 1970 by a group of volunteers from around the world who saw in volunteering a means of making connections across countries and cultures. It has grown into a global network of volunteers, volunteer organisations, national representatives and volunteer centres, with members in over 70 countries, and in all world regions. The majority of IAVE members are in developing countries. IAVE is registered as a charity in the USA, in California, with By-Laws which set out the governing principles and procedures. IAVE has special consultative status with the UN ECOSOC Committee, and associate status with the UN Department of Public Information. It is a member of the UN Confederation of NGO’s, and has a strong working relationship with UN Volunteers, underpinned by a Memorandum of Understanding.

Aims

IAVE exists to promote, strengthen and celebrate the development of volunteering worldwide. It is the only international organisation for which this is the primary aim.

National Volunteer Centres

IAVE supports the development of strong national and local volunteer centres throughout the world. It has researched and published the first directory of existing national volunteer centres. There is a position on the IAVE Board of Directors for a member from the NVC network.                     http://www.iave.org/content/national-volunteer-centres

IAVE National Representatives                         http://www.iave.org/content/national-representatives

For IAVE Events
http://www.iave.org/events

UN Millennium Goals: Snapshot of Singapore Life 2010

UN Millennium Goals: Snapshot of Singapore Life 2010: "Census of population 2010 Population Profile 5.08 million (from 4.03 million in 2000)Citizens increased by 8 per cent, to 3.2 millionPermane..."

Snapshot of Singapore Life 2010

Census of population 2010

Population Profile 5.08 million (from 4.03 million in 2000)

Citizens increased by 8 per cent, to 3.2 million

Permanent residents increased by 88 per cent, to 541,000

Non-residents increased by 73 per cent, to 1.31 million

Older citizens Biggest age group: those aged between 45 and 54 (In 2000, it was those between 35 and 44)

Education More with post-secondary qualifications 49 per cent (up from 33 per cent in 2000)

More graduates 23 per cent (up from 12 per cent)

More are literate 96 per cent (up from 93 per cent)

More are bilingual 71 per cent (up from 56 per cent)

For key Annual Indicators, please refer to http://www.singstat.gov.sg/stats/keyind.html#keyind


Singapore is a city state. She had achieved tremendous success in many areas since independence in August 9, 1965. Many developing countries could learn from the Singapore Experience and emulate some of the strategies to help their own people.


Dr. Pansieri, executive corodinator of the UN Volunteers programme, believes there is a very active voluntary sector in Singapore but that more needs to be done to recognise that voluntary action is a real, important and measurable contribution to the moulding of society.
Extract from Table Talk with Flavia Pansieri, by Cheong Suk-Wai Senior Writer, The Straits Times
http://www.sgcares.org/ImageRepository/News/The%20Straits%20Times%2011%20Jan%20Review%20Table%20Talk%20Volunteerism%20sorely%20in%20need%20of%20recognition.doc


Non-Profit Organisations
http://www.nvpc.org.sg/pgm/NPODir/NVPC_F_NPODir_SearchResults.aspx


School and Youths
http://www.sgcares.org/public/other/SGCares_P_Home.aspx


Companies and Institutions
http://www.nvpc.org.sg/Pgm/Stack/NVPC_F_Stack_SubPage.aspx?PID=48


Individuals and Groups
http://www.nvpc.org.sg/Pgm/Stack/NVPC_F_Stack_SubPage.aspx?PID=50


Grant Makers
http://www.nvpc.org.sg/Pgm/Stack/NVPC_F_Stack_SubPage.aspx?PID=51

Some Singaporean were recognised for their altruism overseas. 48 Asian Altruists listing, compiled by Forbes.com
02.27.08, 10:00 PM ET

http://www.forbes.com/lists/2008/56/biz_philanthropy08_48-Asian-Altruists_Country_2.html

Coming Conference In Singapore

21^st IAVE World Volunteer Conference 2011

The event will take place in Singapore on January 24 - 27, 2011. Hosted by Singapore’s National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre, the event will run in conjunction with the 10th anniversary of the UN International Year of Volunteers (IYV +10) and IAVE’s 40th anniversary. In the tradition of recent IAVE conferences, an affiliated Youth Volunteer Conference will be held on January 21 - 23.

http://www.iave2011.org/about/about.php

UN Millennium Goals: What about us?

UN Millennium Goals: What about us?: "BackgroundThe eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – which range from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and pro..."

UN Millennium Goals: UN Millennium Development Goals - Singapore

UN Millennium Goals: UN Millennium Development Goals - Singapore: "UN Millennium Development Goals - Singapore Foreign PolicySINGAPORE AND THE UN'S MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALSDuring the Millennium Summit in..."