World’s poorest farmers now offered insurance

The U.S. branch of the global development charity Oxfam is offering drought insurance to farmers in Africa to support agriculture and lessen the impact of climate-triggered famines. The program, supported by the Rockefeller Institute and the insurance giant Swiss Re, has thus far made coverage available to about 200 Ethiopian households, 38 percent of them headed by women. With a new $565,000 Rockefeller grant, the effort is set to expand from one village to five.
Full-text post by James F. Smith is available via The Boston Globe, 10/13/09.

In China, Philanthropy as a New Measuring Stick

Jack Ma, chief executive of the Alibaba Group, and other board members took to the earthquake-ravaged regions of Sichuan province in late March 2009, donating supplies to villagers and school children. With $11 billion of the 2008 philanthropic donations in China going to relief efforts in the earthquake aftermath, the Alibaba Group is contributing the initial $5 million to start making modest loans to farmers and other small-business people in Sichuan and Inner Mongolia, two of the poorest provinces in China. Alibaba’s donation is the latest example of a change in attitude by corporations in China toward philanthropy.

Full-text post by Julie Makinen is available via The New York Times, 9/22/09.

Building a Better World While Touring It

Philanthropic travel — which introduces tourists to local outfits working to better their communities — is on the rise. Companies like GoPhilanthropic are forming, and entrepreneurs like Stephen M. Case, a co-founder of AOL, are creating eco-friendly luxury resorts that give back to the community (www.revolution.com). The United Nations Foundation recently formed the Partnership for Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (www.sustainabletourismcriteria.org), which issued guidelines for tourism companies.

Full-text article by Hilary Howard is available via the New York Times, 11.10.08.

Private Philanthropy's Global Reach

The changing nature of private giving and its emergence as a worldwide phenomenon are spotlighted in a report by the Hudson Institute – The Index of Global Philanthropy 2008. The Index is the only comprehensive source on the scope and magnitude of private giving to the developing world.

Full-text article by Jane Lampman is available via The Christian Science Monitor, 5.12.08.