Gates visit: India becomes goodwill hunters' haven

[Guest guest]

India becomes goodwill hunters' haven

SUJATA DUTTA SACHDEVA

TIMES NEWS NETWORK [ SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2002 12:00:20 AM ]

NEW DELHI: On November 11, Bill Gates will come calling. His

itinerary includes a visit to Andhra Pradesh where the Bill Gates

Foundation has given a grant of $25 million for a joint project to

the Children's Vaccine Program. He is also expected to announce a

long-term, strategic commitment to support India's efforts in its

fight against HIV/AIDS. For the past few years, the Gates Foundation

has been giving grants to several education and health related

programmes in India.

Why is India the philanthropist's favourite mall? Says Joe Carrerr

of Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation: " Bill is very passionate about

fighting AIDS, since in India it is not yet a big problem, he feels

putting in money for the cause will avert a crisis later. Also, he

wants to return some of what he has got back to society. "

According to Rajeev Haldar of Prayas, " For most, it is a great image

building exercise. For some who believe in repaying society, India

is their favourite since they can work at the grassroots level.

Also, there is no dearth of causes. "

For Banderas, Griffith, Penelope Cruz, Tom Cruise,

Goldie Hawn, singer Ricky , Spanish pop star Ignacio Cano,

cricketer Steve Waugh and the rest, India, especially our cities,

have become a prime destination for cause-hunting. On October 10,

Hollywood actress Griffith organised a gala fund-raiser

dinner in her Los Angeles mansion where Penelope Cruz, Tom Cruise

and others sold their personal belongings for Kolkata's destitute

children.

Kolkata and Delhi, teeming with street kids, have specially become a

paradise for those who want to " give something back to society " . In

Kolkata, for example, the Sabera Foundation, a home for street

children and orphans named after the girl who was adopted off the

streets and taken to Spain by singer Nacho, has the backing

of the entire Spanish fraternity in Hollywood. So while Penelope

Cruz heads the US operations, she is helped by Banderas and

Griffith, Tom Cruise and supermodel Esther Canadas in her endeavour.

Girls from here have stayed at the palatial Los Angeles home of

Banderas and Griffith and have swum in the sea

wearing swimming costumes borrowed from their daughters, Stella and

Dakota. Sometimes they have gyrated with Ricky and Spanish

pop star Ignacio Cano.

The Spanish connection has also got the Real Madrid Foundation

involved. Forty six boys were tested and selected from a local club

outside the girl's home in Kolkata and are being trained by the

foundation which has sponsored the gear, which includes boots, balls

and jerseys. Apart from football every evening, the boys are trained

in English twice a week and are given an evening meal, sponsored by

thee Spanish restaurant chain owner Galan.

Author Dominique Lapierre's association with Kolkata began after he

penned The City of Joy and started a foundation by the same name.

For Rev 's Udayan, the home for children of leprosy

sufferers, cricketer Steve Waugh came as a messiah. He has been

funding the home and visiting the boys regularly. He has also helped

in setting up Nivedita House, the girls wing, and is now helping

raise funds for Ashray, another home for about 200 destitute girls.

In Bhopal, Dominique Lapierre and his nephew and co-author

Moro have been donating regularly to the Sadbhavna Trust. Initially,

they donated 100,000 Euros and followed it up with a few more.

Lapierre says he has donated more than $5 million for various

humanitarian causes in India " because it gives me immense

satisfaction and I'm proud to be associated with such dedicated

work. "

Delhi too has its share of foreign celebrities working for a cause.

There was Gere, a few years back, raising funds for AIDS.

Actor Segal gave grants to Prayas Institute of Juvenile

Justice, an NGO for street children. Even now he has taken up their

cause among his Hollywood friends. Segal, also known as Rinpoche

after becoming the Dalai Lama's disciple, has been raising funds for

Tibetan children regularly.

For some western celebrities taking up causes in India, the fact

that NGOs are better organised here is a motivating factor. " The

administrative and accounting systems of NGOs are well organised and

there is transparency. Celebs feel comfortable about putting money

here, " adds Haldar of Prayas.

For Waugh, it was just an opportunity he was looking for. " I heard

his interview where he said he wanted to do something for

underprivileged children. I wrote a letter to him. He replied and

came to see the home. There has been no looking back, " says Shamlu

Dudeja, who was instrumental in bringing Waugh and Udayan together.

Who gives whom

• Steve Waugh: Udayan, Ashray: homes for destitute children in

Kolkata

• Dominique Lappiere: Udayan, Southern Health Improvement Society,

Howrah South Point Home for Handicapped Children, United Brothers'

Association, Sambhavana Trust in Bhopal

• Mats Wilander, Pat Cash, McEnroe: GOAL

• Ricky , Penelope Cruz, Esther Canadas, Tom Cruise,

Banderas, Griffith: Sabera Foundation

• Real Madrid: The Real Madrid Academy, culled from Nabarun Sangha

boys.

• Segal: Prayas Juvenile Home

• Gere: NGOs working in the field of AIDS

What they have done

• Griffith and Banderas: Have taken girls from

Sabera for a short holiday live with them in LA. Organised gala fund

raiser dinner for Sabera.

• Penelope Cruz, Tom Cruise and Esther Canadas: Sold their personal

artefacts to collect funds for Sabera

• Ricky : Sang, played football and had lunch with the kids at

Sabera Foundation

(With imputs from Chita Siddartha in Kolkata and Suchandana Gupta in

Bhopal)

Our comment: This makes it clear that while we may like to pat

ourselves on the back for our many scientific and technological

achievements, in the eyes of the international community poverty

remains our biggest attraction.

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