The Spiritual Nature of Philanthropy.

Spiritual India - River of Compassion is a really gorgeous, inspiring film on the spiritual nature of philanthropy, from philanthropist Charles Annenberg Weingarten. Enjoy!!



I discovered this via @bioneers on twitter - check out the Bioneers Community

Twestival raises over $250K

Image by .imelda via Flickr

On Feb 12th, 2009 Twestivals were hosted in 202 cities around the world. As at Feb 18th the total amount raised stood at $250,000 USD. What a superb effort!

This $250,000 USD translates to 55 Clean Water projects in Ethiopia, Uganda and India . . . which means clean water for over 17,000 people.

You can still take part in Twestival by:

• Uploading or buying music at Twestival.fm.
• Buying an official Twestival t-shirt.
• Taking part in the eBay auction.
• Watching Twestival live and pre-recorded video.
• Donating to charity: water.

At the beginning of April the first of the wells funded by Twestival donations will be dug in Ethiopia. Twestival organisers will be documenting this and posting updates online.

Relief Beads for Darfur

Image by vonbergen.net via Flickr

The crisis in Darfur, in western Sudan, has led to some of the worst human rights abuses imaginable, including systematic and widespread murder, rape, abduction and forced displacement. Hundreds of thousands of civilians have died as a result of both deliberate and indiscriminate attacks, and more than 2 million civilians have been forced to flee from their homes.
- Eyes on Darfur

Relief Beads is a grassroots campaign selling handmade African bracelets to raise awareness and money for Relief International's humanitarian efforts in Darfur.

Relief International operates the second largest refugee camp in Darfur, they administer medical care at several clinics, provide life-saving therapeutic care to countless children, and fund educational costs for thousands of students.

Every Relief Beads purchased makes a significant contribution:

1 Bracelet provides two months of education
2 Bracelets provide a stove
8 Bracelets supply essential medicine for 100 refugees
150 Bracelets provide 11 years of schooling for one student

Relief International is aiming to sell 250,000 Relief Beads. Imagine the difference that will make!

You can purchase your Relief Beads here and help spread the awareness about the continuing humanitarian crisis that is Darfur.

Related articles by Zemanta

• The U.N. Shares Blame for Darfur Atrocities (usnews.com)
• Stoves help keep Darfur's women out of harm's way (cnn.com)
• Trial hears horrors of child soldiers (msnbc.msn.com)

Help End Poverty with Just $2

You don't have to be wealthy to be a Digital Philanthropist! You really can make a difference and help end Global Poverty with a donation of as little as $2.

FINCA International, an organization that provides low-interest loans to the world's poorest entrepreneurs, is looking for 500,000 caring people to give to its $2 a Day Campaign. If successful, this campaign will make microfinance loans available to 20,000 hard working individuals in a number of developing countries.

These loans will allow impoverished men and women to start new businesses, send their children to school, and work their way out of extreme poverty forever.

$2 sounds like so little, but it can do a lot to combat global poverty. Click here to make your donation - and don't forget to spread the word!

Related articles by Zemanta

• The Case for Entrepreneurial Philanthropy (africaunchained.blogspot.com)

Pledge your Support for the Rainforest Foundation

Around the world, there are millions of people living in rainforests whose livelihoods and cultures depend on their natural environment. In many cases, the basic rights of these people are threatened or undermined by forest destruction, land theft and resource exploitation. The Rainforest Foundation UK (RFUK) is working to ensure the long-term protection of rainforests by securing the rights of indigenous communities to land, life and livelihoods.
- The Rainforest Foundation

Small Can Be Big

SmallCanBeBig.org is an organisation based in Massachusettes that aims to make helping others a more intimate and direct process.

They work closely with a select group of experienced charities across the state to connect families in need with people who can help.

Its all about small donations adding up to big things. Every cent of your donation - whether it be $3 or $300 goes directly to addressing a specific need - so your impact is immediate and makes a real difference to a hardworking family that has had the misfortune to find themselves one step away from homelessness.

Visit SmallCanBeBig.org today and help make a difference to a family in need!

January Fundraising for SALVEASERRA

Thanks to all who donated to help SALVEASERRA continue their work in the Atlantic Forest.

In total we raised $10 - which wasn't as much as I was aiming for, but will be a great help to them all the same.

One of the great spin offs from the campaign was that over the month of January donations to SALVEASERRA through their GlobalGiving project increased significantly. In the last week of January their Trees and Education Project was one of the top five most popular projects at GlobalGiving and they received over $500 of donations.

The winner of the WE ADD UP 'Plant Trees' Tee was Kimberly C. If you would like to purchase one for yourself click on this link and 10% of your purchase price will be donated to SALVEASERRA.

You can help raise funds for SALVEASERRA at no cost to you by downloading the How to Make a Difference toolbar. Its powered by Conduit and works on both Firefox and Internet Explorer. Every download raises money for SALVEASERRA!

The Twestival is coming to a town near you!

Image by .imelda via Flickr

Once again Twitter is at the forefront of Digital Philanthropy!

On Feb 12th, 2009 175 cities around the world will be hosting Twestivals - bringing together twitter communities for an evening of fun and to raise money for charity:water.

Each Twestival is organised entirely by volunteers - and 100% of the money raised will go to charity:water.

You can join in and help raise money by:

• Attending your local Twestival
• Uploading or buying music at Twestival.fm.
• Taking part in the t-shirt design competition.
• Donating to charity: water.

Why Water?

Right now 1.1 billion people on the planet don't have access to clean, safe drinking water. That's 1 in 6 of us!!

Each week there are 42,000 deaths caused by unsafe water and a lack of basic sanitation, 90% of these are children under 5 years old.

Many people in the developing world walk more than three hours every day to fetch water.

Often communities in developing nations have a plentiful supply of clean drinking water just below the ground, but no way to get to it.

This is where charity: water and their partner organizations come in. Drilling a well can cost from $4,000 - $12,000 USD and many living on less than $1 a day cannot afford one in their community, even if the money is combined.

So, come on . . . Join the Twestival!!

Carnival of Digital Philanthropy Volume 2

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Welcome to the February 1st, 2009 edition of The Carnival of Digital Philanthropy.

Be sure to Stumble the posts you like, or submit them to other social bookmarking services. Let's promote each other, as well as this blog carnival.

Praveen presents Secret Santa - Philanthropy Made Simple and Minimal posted at Tao of Simplicity.

Elisha Teo presents Free E-Charity (Part 1) posted at Internet Charity. A great round up of ways to donate to charity at no cost to you!

David presents Exquisite Safaris :: Philanthropic Travel Worldwide :: posted at Exquisite Safari Journal.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of carnival of digital philanthropy using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.