Artists of Change

From The Times in London:

Mr Buffett, with wealth far greater than Mr Soros’s and an intellect at least his equal, could have created another dynamic, competitive new market in social, scientific or philanthropic ideas. By creating a new foundation or network of foundations with its own philosophy and charitable criteria, Mr Buffett could have made a real difference to the world. Now he will not.

A rather ludicrous article that posits that Warren Buffett's massive donation may be "a symptom of arrogance and intellectual bankruptcy, revealing how the world is ruled by a sickeningly complacent and incestuous plutocratic elite."

Buffett has committed his billions (not giving it one lump sum, as the author states, but in annual amounts tied to the interest raised on the principal) to an organization known for its effectiveness. He didn't want to start up a new organization from scratch and instead committed his money to a proven organization.

I think Buffett has done a tremendous service to philanthropy as a whole. Overnight, he raised the visibility of giving and the potential to make a difference in the world. The PR on his act is incalculable - people are name-dropping Gates and Buffett in casual conversations. The effects of his acts will continue to be felt for perhaps decades to come.

Posted by tyler at 06:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

From The Star Online in Malaysia:

Non-profit hospitals are struggling to survive as the number of patients seeking treatment at such institutions is dropping drastically, Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said.

He said patients were now turning away from such hospitals because people seeking treatment in these places were perceived to be of a lower social status.

Dr Chua said patients had the ultimate choice when it came to hospitals. “Our patients tend to depend on branding even when it comes to hospitals. They don’t want to be associated as someone with lower status when they are sick,” he said.

“Our institution has very attractive packages but are unable to compete with other private hospitals. Our midwife delivery package is as low as RM388 [US$105] while for consultants, it ranges from RM1,000 to RM2,000 [US$271 - US$542].

So patients are willing to spend up to six times the amount for a procedure, because the hospital is a brand name, and connotes a certain social status. And they are doing so in such numbers that the non-profit hospitals are "struggling to survive."

An opportunity, then, exists for the non-profit hospitals to develop marketing ideas that allow them to connect in a more significant way with their regional community. How do they overcome the stigma of being associated with those of lower social status? From what issues or defeciencies did the stigma arise? What are the misconceptions? What are their strengths?

I imagine a global exchange where a marketing expert in Montreal can provide her services pro bono to this group of non-profit hospitals in Malaysia. Philanthropy comes in many forms, in gifts financial and experiential. It enriches our soul to help others. We don't have to be Bill Gates or William Buffett to effect positive change in the world.

FYI: The Malaysian GDP per capita is US$9,700. The United States' GDP per capita is US$40,100 (source: cia.gov)

Posted by tyler at 12:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

From NBC News:

By helping immunize and save millions of children, the Gates Foundation has been a shot in the arm for global public health.

"Within our lifetime, I would expect all these top 20 diseases, we would have vaccines and medicines to eliminate the disease burden of those," said Bill Gates on Monday at the news conference where he accepted Warren Buffett's pledge to donate billions annually to the foundation.

That kind of talk is energizing a field that has long been plagued by systems that are underfunded or simply don't work.

The systems that don't work will be replaced by ones that do. Technology will level the playing field in many ways: it allows people of all means to participate in financial and experiential aid, it provides opportunity for greater visibility for even the smallest non-profits operating in the remotest locations, and it helps humanize the social and environmental issues plaguing the globe in a way that people feel a stronger emotional connection to the world around them.

Posted by tyler at 02:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)