Rotary and Gates Foundation
extend fundraising agreement to end polio
New match arrangement could raise US$525 million for
global eradication effort
LISBON, Portugal
(25 June 2013) Rotary International and the
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation today announced an extension of their
existing fundraising partnership that could generate up to US$525 million in new
money for polio eradication as the global effort to end this crippling disease
enters its critical endgame phase.
Under the new agreement, announced before an audience
of more than 20,000 Rotary members from 160 countries gathered in Lisbon for
the humanitarian group’s annual convention, the Gates Foundation will match 2
for 1 every new dollar Rotary commits to polio eradication up to $35 million per
year through 2018.
“When Rotarians combine the
passion for service along with the power of a global network, you are unstoppable,
and the Gates Foundation is proud to partner with you,” said Gates Foundation CEO
Jeff Raikes in a video message to convention attendees. “We will combine the strength of Rotary’s network with
our resources and together with the other partners in the Global Polio
Eradication Initiative we will not only end a disease, we will change the face
of public health forever.”
All funds raised will support crucial immunization
activities in polio-affected countries. These are part of a comprehensive
six-year plan to eradicate both wild poliovirus and vaccine-derived virus
announced in April by the eradication initiative during the Global Vaccine
Summit in Abu Dhabi. At the Summit, global leaders and individual
philanthropists signaled their confidence in the endgame plan by pledging $4
billion, nearly three-quarters of the plan’s projected $5.5 billion cost. They
also called upon additional donors to commit the additional $1.5 billion needed
to ensure eradication. Since then, the government of Australia, and now Rotary,
are committing funding toward the remaining $1.5 billion gap through 2018.
Rotary and the Gates Foundation have partnered on
polio eradication since 2007, when the Gates Foundation gave Rotary a
$100 million challenge grant for polio eradication, increasing it to $355
million in 2009. Rotary agreed to raise $200 million in matching funds by June
2012. When the organization achieved its fundraising goal six months ahead of
schedule, the Gates Foundation granted Rotary an additional $50 million.
To date, Rotary clubs worldwide have contributed $1.2
billion to the polio eradication effort.
“We’re at a critical point in
the fight to end polio,” said Past Rotary Vice President John Germ, who leads
the organization’s fundraising efforts for polio eradication. “We must
capitalize on this progress to finish the job. We have a robust plan, the tools
to reach each child, and with funding in place, we can win against this
devastating disease. Rotary and its partners remain committed to a polio-free
world.”
Germ also announced a new contribution of $1 million
from Sir Emeka Offor, a Nigerian Rotarian and philanthropist, as one of the
first major gifts to be matched under the new agreement with Gates.
Rotary helped launch the eradication initiative in
1988, along with spearheading partners the World Health Organization, UNICEF,
and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Since then, new polio
cases have plunged by more than 99 percent worldwide, from 350,000 cases annually
to just 223 in 2012. Only three countries remain polio-endemic: Afghanistan,
Nigeria, and Pakistan. However, every nation remains at risk for infections
“imported” from the endemic countries. Europe has been polio-free since 2002.
About Rotary
Rotary
is a worldwide organization of business and professional leaders who provide
humanitarian service and help to build goodwill and peace in the world.
Rotary’s global membership is approximately 1.2 million men and women who
belong to more than 34,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries and
geographical areas. Rotary’s top priority is the global eradication of polio.
To access broadcast quality video footage and still
photos of Rotary members immunizing children against polio available go to: Media Center.
มูลนิธิเกทส์ และโรตารีร่วมระดมทุนครั้งใหญ่อีกครั้งเพื่อขจัดโรคโปลิโอ
การสมทบทุนระหว่างสององค์กรจะทำให้มีกองทุนเพิ่มขึ้นถึง ๕๒๕ ล้านเหรียญสหรัฐ ที่จะใช้เพื่อรณรงค์ขจัดภัยโปลิโอได้
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| BIll Gates helps campaigning on National Immunization day. |
ลิสบอน ประเทศโปรตุเกส (๒๕ มิถุนายน ๒๕๕๖) โรตารีสากลและมูลนิธิเกทส์ได้ร่วมแถลงข้อตกลงเพื่อขยายขนาดกองทุนรณรงค์ขจัดโปลิโอที่ทั้งสององค์กรได้เคยร่วมจัดตั้งไว้ ให้ได้อีก ๕๒๕ ล้านเหรียญ เพื่อนำไปใช้ในโครงการรณรงค์ขจัดโรคโปลิโอให้หมดจากโลก โดยครั้งนี้ถือเป็นการระดมสรรพกำลังเพื่อปิดฉากการต่อสู้โรคร้ายนี้
โดยภายใต้ข้อตกลงของการร่วมระดมทุนครั้งล่าสุดที่ประกาศ ณ ที่ประชุมใหญ่โรตารีสากล ท่ามกลางโรแทเรียนที่เข้าร่วมประชุมกว่า ๒๐,๐๐๐ คนจาก ๑๖๐ ประเทศทั่วโลก ณ กรุงลิสบอน ประเทศโปรตุเกส ทางฝ่ายมูลนิธิเกทส์จะสนับสนุน ๒ เท่าจากทุนที่โรตารีสามารถจัดหาได้ และทางโรตารีให้คำมั่นว่าจะระดมเงินบริจาคเข้ากองทุนปีละไม่ต่ำกว่า ๓๕ ล้านเหรียญต่อปี จากปีนี้จนถึงปี ๒๕๖๑
